Politics
Erdoğan urges regional peace, trade ties in COP31 diplomacy
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used the COP31 climate summit in Antalya to advance Türkiye’s diplomatic and economic agenda, holding high-level talks with leaders from China, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Australia that focused on regional peace, strategic trade corridors and deeper international cooperation, Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Directorate said.
During his meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Erdoğan emphasized the need to accelerate cooperation between Ankara and Beijing, particularly in investment, energy, trade and tourism.
The president highlighted the potential to align Türkiye’s Middle Corridor with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, saying the two projects, alongside the Development Road Project, could unlock significant economic opportunities for both countries.
Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s determination to take concrete steps to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation across key sectors.
In separate talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Erdoğan addressed the ongoing normalization process between Ankara and Yerevan, as well as broader regional developments.
He said relations between Türkiye and Armenia were progressing through constructive measures, noting that several symbolic but significant steps had already been taken.
Erdoğan also reiterated Ankara’s support for the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stressing that Türkiye was closely monitoring developments aimed at securing lasting regional stability.
The president separately met with Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Chair Denis Becirovic and Presidency member Zeljko Komsic, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to the Balkan country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order.
Erdoğan emphasized Ankara’s friendship with all three constituent peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina and pledged continued support for the European Union-led Operation Althea peacekeeping mission.
The discussions also covered opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, alongside regional and international developments.
In another meeting, Erdoğan received Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with talks focusing on bilateral relations and regional and global issues.
Erdoğan said trade between Türkiye and Australia remained below its full potential and called for greater efforts to explore cooperation opportunities across multiple sectors.
He also highlighted the shared responsibilities of Türkiye and Australia at COP31 and thanked Albanese for his country’s contributions to the climate summit.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Brazil on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, focusing on expanding economic cooperation, strengthening diplomatic ties and addressing regional and global challenges.
The meetings, held as world leaders gathered for the U.N. climate conference running from Nov. 9-20, highlighted Türkiye’s efforts to deepen international partnerships while advancing cooperation on climate action.
During talks with Turkmenistan’s national leader and People’s Council Chairman Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in energy, trade, defense and investment, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
Erdoğan also welcomed the growing influence of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), saying its strategic significance had been reaffirmed at the Ankara summit. He expressed hope that Turkmenistan would join the organization as a full member.
In a separate meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Erdoğan called for stronger bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and the defense industry.
He reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to keeping the humanitarian situation in Cox’s Bazar on the international agenda, while highlighting Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate change.
Erdoğan said COP31 would address the country’s needs in flood management and climate-resilient infrastructure, expressing hope that the Climate Implementation Bridge initiative would help deliver practical solutions.
During his meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Erdoğan pledged continued efforts to expand trade and investment ties and reiterated Türkiye’s support for peace and stability in the region.
He also congratulated Ethiopia on its selection to host COP32, the next U.N. climate conference after Türkiye.
Erdoğan, Lula discuss trade, climate cooperation
Erdoğan also met Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, discussing bilateral relations and regional and global developments.
The Turkish president noted that Türkiye and Brazil would mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, emphasizing plans to strengthen cooperation in trade, defense and other strategic sectors.
Erdoğan praised Brazil’s work during its COP30 presidency and said Türkiye aimed to build on that progress by making COP31 a conference focused on implementing previously agreed climate commitments.
He also stressed the importance of continued cooperation between Ankara and Brasilia on international peace efforts.
Erdoğan congratulated Lula on his election victory, with the meeting marking the Brazilian leader’s first official engagement following his reelection.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday at Erdoğan’s invitation to attend the COP31 Leaders Summit, scheduled for Nov. 11-12.
The Antalya gathering brings together heads of state, policymakers and civil society representatives to advance global climate negotiations and strengthen international cooperation.
Türkiye on Tuesday called on the Greek Cypriot administration to adopt a more constructive approach to resolving longstanding disputes on the island, welcoming progress in confidence-building measures following trilateral talks on Cyprus.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said the meeting brought together Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman, the Greek Cypriot leader and the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy on Monday.
“We welcome the fact that the trilateral meeting held yesterday (Nov. 9) on the island between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman, the Greek Cypriot leader and the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy addressed areas of cooperation aimed at building trust between the two sides, an issue on which the Turkish side has placed particular emphasis,” Keçeli said on X.
Keçeli noted that limited progress had been made on opening new crossing points, an issue on the agenda for the past year and a half.
He said discussions on the issue were part of a cooperation process launched in line with a proposal by the U.N. secretary-general.
“Further progress on areas of cooperation, including crossing points, at the trilateral meeting planned between the two leaders and the U.N. secretary-general in the coming period will be possible if the Greek Cypriot side changes its uncompromising stance,” he added.
Amid opposition from some countries littoral to the Mediterranean Sea, Libya’s acting Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour said that his country’s maritime agreement with Türkiye is not directed against any other state, stressing that both countries have the sovereign right to conclude such deals.
Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera television aired Monday, al-Baour said the agreement, signed in 2019 by Libya’s then-Government of National Accord, was recently ratified by the country’s House of Representatives.
“This agreement is certainly not directed against any country,” he said, adding that it is a maritime cooperation agreement between the two nations. “Libya and Türkiye are sovereign states, and they have the right to enter into any agreements,” he said.
Al-Baour emphasized that Libya does not seek to create tensions in the region and recognizes the concerns of countries that have opposed the agreement. “We respect the concerns of the countries that rejected this agreement, but the door is certainly open to dialogue and discussions with everyone to reach the best possible solution,” he said.
The minister said Libya wants the region to become a center of stability, growth and development rather than a source of tensions. He reaffirmed Tripoli’s willingness to engage in dialogue and address questions raised by other countries regarding the agreement.
Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives unanimously approved the boundary maritime agreement on Oct. 20, reversing its previous opposition to the deal and repealing resolutions adopted in 2020 that had rejected agreements with Türkiye and called for severing political ties with Ankara.
Türkiye and Libya signed the maritime jurisdiction agreement in November 2019 to establish the boundaries of their respective maritime areas in the Mediterranean.
Ankara welcomed the Libyan parliament’s decision, saying the memorandum safeguards the mutual rights and interests of both countries in accordance with international law and principles of equity. However, Greece, Egypt and the Greek Cypriot administration rejected the ratification.
Speaking at the Leaders Summit of COP31 in southern Türkiye’s Antalya on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the world was going through one of the worst existential crises and he hoped that the event would be a turning point in the battle against climate change.
“We have no other sky, no seas, no forests but humanity is going through one of the worst existential crises. From ecological devastation to serious climate incidents, we face significant challenges. We will either complain from difficulties or cling to hope and take action, we choose lighting a candle instead of shaking fist at the darkness,” he said.
“Climate financing should be more accessible, predictable and cater to the needs,” he also said.
Erdoğan also touched upon “ecocide” in Gaza under Israeli occupation. “Gaza was exposed both to genocide and ecocide, century-old olive trees were cut down, soil and water was polluted, cities were razed to the ground,” he said.
The summit brings world leaders, negotiators and climate experts together as Türkiye seeks to move international climate commitments toward practical implementation and measurable results.
The summit, running from Nov. 9-20, comes as countries face mounting pressure to reduce emissions, strengthen resilience to extreme weather and mobilize the funding needed to protect vulnerable communities. Türkiye aims to make COP31 an “Implementation COP,” focusing on areas ranging from clean energy and climate-resilient cities to food and water security, industrial transformation and ocean protection.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW…
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş met with opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Tuesday and is set to hold more talks with other party leaders as part of the Terror-Free Türkiye initiative. Kurtulmuş was scheduled to hold talks with top officials of the New Path Party (YY) later on Tuesday and visit the parliamentary offices of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Wednesday.
His talks focus on a “monitoring commission” expected to be established in Parliament for the purpose of monitoring the disarmament process of the terrorist group PKK. Kurtulmuş will seek the parties’ contribution to the commission, which is expected to follow the National Solidarity Commission. Established last year, the previous commission concluded its work after months of discussions with people, ranging from families of terror victims to academics, for input on shaping the initiative that aims to eliminate the PKK threat.
In remarks published on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed not to abandon the Terror-Free Türkiye initiative, adding that the government was ready to pay whatever price necessary for the initiative to succeed. “Our top priority is for all elements of the group to complete the dissolution process, fully surrender their weapons and for this situation to be concretely established and verified by the relevant state institutions. Every step and every move is being closely monitored by the relevant state institutions and our government. This will continue in the same manner. I also believe that the Monitoring Commission will hopefully be established soon,” Erdoğan said.
The government has set up a separate board under a bill approved by Parliament to “follow up and evaluate” the initiative, and at its latest meeting in September, the board decided to establish four subcommittees: the Subcommittee on Judicial and Legal Affairs Coordination, the Subcommittee on Monitoring and Verification, the Subcommittee on Social Cohesion and Integration and the Subcommittee on Disarmament and Strategic Coordination.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called for the rapid operationalization of the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, welcoming growing cooperation between Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria to strengthen security in the strategic region.
“We need to operationalize the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub,” von der Leyen said during a joint news briefing with Romanian President Nicusor Dan in Bucharest.
She welcomed the “closer maritime cooperation” among the three countries, stressing that the EU must adopt an “urgency mindset” in addressing defense and security challenges.
“The skies over the Black Sea have darkened, particularly in recent weeks, with drone attacks targeting commercial ships off your coasts, innocent sailors having lost their lives, others are still missing at sea,” she said.
Von der Leyen called for restoring and preserving freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, highlighting its importance for Europe, Ukraine’s economy and global food security.
She also stressed the need to strengthen maritime surveillance and the bloc’s security in the information space.
“Hostile actors are weaponizing the information space, and drone incidents are often doubled by foreign information manipulation and interference,” she warned.
“They target relentlessly our citizens and democracies, sowing fear, spreading uncertainty,” she added.
Von der Leyen said Europe must strengthen its capacity to respond to crises along its borders.
“I am pleased to announce an additional €10 million ($11.2 million) in funding to Romanian authorities for search and rescue operations,” she said.
“This will support your capacity to respond to such incidents rapidly and effectively,” she added.
Turning to the upcoming U.S.-mediated peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, von der Leyen reaffirmed European support for Kyiv.
She said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had requested support from European partners for the negotiations and that the bloc was providing it.
“The focus of these peace talks is ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. That must be the goal,” she stressed.
Von der Leyen said the EU was also working on a post-war prosperity plan to support Ukraine’s stability and reconstruction.
“Any meaningful discussions about Europe’s security architecture can only be undertaken once a ceasefire in Ukraine has been achieved,” she said.
Such discussions must take place in an appropriate forum, particularly with NATO allies and EU members, she added.
Moscow has maintained that the U.S.-mediated negotiations should remain strictly trilateral, involving Russia, Ukraine and the U.S., without direct European participation.
The Abu Dhabi talks, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, will mark the fourth round of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine under the Trump administration.
They will also be the first such meetings since the previous round in Geneva in February.
-
Economy2 days agoTürkiye, China gather at green development forum, assess co-op
-
Politics2 days agoSea of Friendship: Türkiye, Egypt bond over Med drills
-
Sports1 day agoTVF takes sustainability drive to COP31 with solar energy project
-
Politics2 days agoBrothers in arms: Erdoğan receives warm welcome in Azerbaijan
-
Sports1 day agoTurkish sports honor Atatürk’s ideals on 88th death anniversary
-
Politics8 hours agoTürkiye urges Greek Cypriots to shift stance after Cyprus talks
-
Economy2 days ago‘Terror-free Türkiye’ to drive major economic leap: Erdoğan
-
Economy3 days agoDroughts test farmers in COP31 host Türkiye