Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Friday that Türkiye will build a future marked by unity, stronger democracy and an end to terrorism, as he outlined progress in the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative.

Speaking to parliamentary reporters at a meeting marking the fourth year of the 28th parliamentary term, Kurtulmuş said lawmakers submitted 571 bills during the legislative year.

He highlighted the work of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission as one of the parliament’s most significant initiatives. The 50-member commission held 21 meetings totaling 90 hours and heard from civil society groups, academics, politicians and former parliamentary speakers from across the country.

Its report was approved Feb. 18 with the support of 47 lawmakers, which Kurtulmuş described as opening the way for the “terror-Free Türkiye” process. A subsequent bill on strengthening national solidarity and social integration was approved with 467 votes, which he called the broadest parliamentary consensus ever reached on a bill.

Kurtulmuş said the process now represents a new path toward a terror-free Türkiye and a terror-free region, adding that developments in the region showed the initiative was moving beyond an aspiration.

He cited the ongoing integration of YPG elements in Syria as an important step and said a process to disarm armed militias in Iraq would begin in early October.

Kurtulmuş said a high-level coordination and implementation board chaired by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz had begun work, while Parliament would establish a monitoring commission after reopening.

He said Parliament’s responsibilities would include closely monitoring the process, ensuring that disarmament efforts comply with the law, coordinating with the executive board and considering any necessary legislation.

Responding to questions, Kurtulmuş said the process would continue despite attempts to provoke or disrupt it. Unlike other conflict-resolution processes that involve an outside mediator or “third eye,” he said, Türkiye’s process would have no foreign third party.

“The third eye is the nation itself,” Kurtulmuş said, referring to Parliament as the institution representing the people.

The Daily Sabah Newsletter

Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.

SIGN ME UP

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for closer coordination among Turkic states in the face of mounting global and regional challenges during talks in New York, as Türkiye seeks to strengthen the Organization of Turkic States’ (OTS) international role and visibility.

Fidan attended an informal meeting of the OTS Council of Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting, hosted by Azerbaijan, brought together representatives from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as observer states the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Turkmenistan and the OTS secretary-general.

During his address, Fidan stressed the importance of Turkic states acting with a shared vision and maintaining close coordination in responding to regional and global challenges.

He also outlined Türkiye’s vision for increasing the OTS’ effectiveness and visibility on the international stage.

The ministers discussed preparations for the 13th OTS Summit, scheduled to be hosted by Türkiye in Ankara on Oct. 29-30. They also exchanged views on global and regional issues affecting the Turkic world and considered steps to deepen the organization’s institutional cooperation with international bodies.

The gathering marked the fourth informal meeting of the OTS Council of Foreign Ministers in 2026, following meetings in Istanbul on March 7, Antalya on April 18 on the sidelines of the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, and Turkistan on May 15 alongside an informal OTS summit.

In a joint statement adopted after the New York meeting, the ministers emphasized the importance of securing observer status for the OTS at the U.N. General Assembly. The statement also called for strengthening the organization’s international role and expanding its capacity to establish institutional ties with international and regional actors.

Separately, Fidan continued his diplomatic contacts in New York by meeting Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly high-level week.

Eight district mayors in the Turkish capital resigned from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) following Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş’s decision to leave the party and continue his political career as an independent.

The mayors of Beypazarı, Kalecik, Güdül, Şereflikoçhisar, Ayaş, Polatlı, Nallıhan and Elmadağ announced their resignations after Yavaş said Wednesday that he was ending his CHP membership.

Several of the mayors said they would continue to work alongside Yavaş.

Beypazarı Mayor Özer Kasap underlined that he remained committed to promises made to residents since setting out on his political path with Yavaş.

Kalecik Mayor Satılmış Karakoç said his political partnership with Yavaş had been based on providing services without discrimination and treating residents equally regardless of their political affiliations.

Güdül Mayor Mehmet Doğanay and Şereflikoçhisar Mayor Mustafa Koçak also said they would continue their political paths alongside Yavaş.

Ayaş Mayor Izzet Demircioğlu announced his resignation while saying he remained committed to promises made to residents, while Polatlı Mayor Mürsel Yıldızkaya said he would continue serving as an independent alongside Yavaş.

Elmadağ Mayor Adem Barış Aşkın also said he would continue his duties as an independent.

Nallıhan Mayor Ertunç Güngör noted that he decided to resign following consultations with his team and close colleagues, citing his aim of providing better services to the district.

Meanwhile, New Party (YP) Chair Özgür Özel said he spoke with Yavaş by phone following the announcement and conveyed his good wishes. Özel said his party respected the decisions made by the municipalities.

Özel also criticized the current CHP leadership, arguing that Yavaş should not be drawn into disputes surrounding the party’s leadership.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli, moreover, criticized the extent of media coverage devoted to Yavaş’s resignation, questioning whether it was overshadowing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s address to the United Nations and his political contacts in the United States.

Yavaş, who announced his departure from the CHP on Wednesday, also rejected speculation that the move was connected to a potential presidential bid.

“This resignation decision has nothing to do with the presidential election,” Yavaş stated.

Yavaş had said when announcing his resignation that months of political and legal disputes surrounding the CHP had brought Turkish politics to a difficult point and risked deepening divisions within the party. He said he would continue his political career as an independent.

The Daily Sabah Newsletter

Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.

SIGN ME UP

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said lasting peace in the Middle East would remain out of reach without an end to the Israeli bloodshed in Gaza, a permanent cease-fire and a dignified future for Palestinians on their own land, as he outlined Türkiye’s positions on regional conflicts, ties with the United States and a series of global challenges following the U.N. General Assembly.

Speaking to journalists at the Türkevi Center in New York, Erdoğan addressed Gaza peace efforts, Türkiye-U.S. relations and the F-35 program, tensions involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, the Russia-Ukraine war and Black Sea security, the Mecca Defense Agreement, the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, relations with Iraq and Greece, U.N. reform and the COP31 climate summit Türkiye will host in Antalya.

“Without stopping the bloodshed in Gaza, making the cease-fire permanent and ensuring that Palestinians have a dignified future on their own land, lasting peace will not come to the Middle East,” Erdoğan said.

He said the political will that emerged under the Gaza peace plan was significant, arguing that nearly all parties, including Hamas, had taken positive steps and demonstrated their willingness to reach a solution.

Erdoğan slammed Israel for continuing its attacks and undermining peace efforts, saying the international community, particularly the United States, should make clear that Israel must comply with the plan.

Simply calling for the war in Gaza to stop was not enough, the president said, stressing that mechanisms were needed to prevent fighting from restarting, accelerate Gaza’s reconstruction and secure the Palestinians’ political future.

Erdoğan also highlighted the continuing humanitarian crisis, saying people had been struggling to survive among the rubble for years, amid Israel’s unlawful blockade.

“This is a matter that concerns the common conscience of humanity,” he said.

Türkiye-US ties, F-35s and defense

Erdoğan also addressed Türkiye’s effort to return to the F-35 fighter jet program, saying he had discussed the matter with U.S. President Donald Trump during a NATO meeting.

He said Trump had demonstrated a positive stance toward Türkiye’s return to the program and that Ankara now expected that position to be translated into concrete action.

“We expect this will to turn into concrete steps,” Erdoğan said, adding that contacts with Washington were continuing. “I believe we will get results.”

Erdoğan said his relationship with Trump had also given momentum to Türkiye-U.S. relations, arguing that cooperation between the NATO allies had advanced considerably compared with the previous U.S. administration.

He stressed, however, that Türkiye’s domestic defense industry remained a major priority.

Erdoğan pointed to the domestically developed KAAN fighter jet, Türkiye’s air defense systems and other defense capabilities, saying Ankara wanted to produce its own systems while simultaneously pursuing cooperation with its allies.

He also said talks with Britain over the Eurofighter Typhoon were continuing.

“Türkiye has security, defense needs and strategic objectives,” Erdoğan said, adding that Ankara would continue working toward those goals without stepping back.

Iran and Strait of Hormuz

On tensions involving Iran and the U.S., Erdoğan said developments in the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated that the crisis was no longer merely an issue between Tehran and Washington.

Türkiye opposed closing the strait to maritime traffic and considered maintaining freedom of navigation essential, he said.

The president warned that every escalation in Hormuz affected not only regional countries but also Europe, Asia, energy markets, transportation and the daily lives of millions of people.

He pointed to a sharp decline in commercial shipping traffic as evidence of the wider impact and described the strait as vital to global energy security and international trade.

Erdoğan said reopening Hormuz was important for resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiations and that Türkiye was urging all parties to return to the negotiating table.

“What needs to be opened are not new fronts, but new channels of diplomacy,” he said.

Ukraine, Black Sea security

Turning to the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan said the Black Sea should not become another front in the conflict and called for the restoration of maritime security.

He said ensuring safe navigation would both protect food security and help prevent the war from spreading.

Türkiye opposed attacks on commercial vessels regardless of who carried them out, Erdoğan said, calling on the parties to act responsibly.

He also announced that Ankara was intensifying efforts to restore the Black Sea grain corridor and accelerating diplomatic contacts toward that goal.

Erdoğan said he raised the issue again with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in New York and received a positive response.

Mecca Defense Agreement

Describing the Mecca Defense Agreement as a strong step in the right direction, President Erdoğan said challenges facing the initiative at an early stage were not unexpected.

He said Türkiye was an experienced state that would not be drawn into provocations or traps and expressed confidence that the initiative would become stronger as its institutional structure was completed.

Erdoğan said the agreement had laid the foundations for a framework capable of producing regional solutions to regional problems.

He argued that outside powers that had attempted to prescribe security solutions for the region had often left greater instability behind.

The initiative, he said, was like a newly planted sapling that would eventually grow into a large tree.

‘Terror-free Türkiye’

On the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, Erdoğan said the process was not a short-term issue but an effort to bring an end to a problem the country had faced for nearly half a century.

He said Parliament had established the legal framework, relevant mechanisms were being created and state institutions were carrying out the necessary monitoring on the ground.

For the framework to be implemented, the organization must effectively lay down its arms and complete its dissolution, Erdoğan said, adding that procedures for verifying those steps were clear.

“The process is progressing step by step under the control of our relevant units,” he said.

Erdoğan said there were actors seeking to obstruct the process and referred to them as stakeholders in a “terror industry,” but stressed that the government and the People’s Alliance remained determined.

“There is no problem reflected to us,” he said. “The process is moving forward and, God willing, we will reach a conclusion in the not-too-distant future.”

Iraq, Sinjar and Development Road

Erdoğan also pointed to improving ties with Iraq, saying the new period in relations had begun positively.

He said Iraqi government authority would take hold in Sinjar, where the PKK had maintained a presence for years, and that Ankara and Baghdad had discussed how control of the area would be handled after it was cleared of terrorism.

The two sides also discussed the transfer of Bashiqa, Erdoğan said.

He said Türkiye wanted its relationship with Iraq to increasingly focus on the Development Road project, expanding bilateral trade, stability, peace and prosperity rather than terrorism.

“The process is progressing positively. We have gained good momentum,” he said.

Greece and Eastern Mediterranean

Addressing ties with Greece ahead of elections there, Erdoğan said Türkiye had no interest in Greek domestic politics.

Ankara’s priorities were protecting Türkiye’s rights and security and maintaining peace in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, he said.

“Türkiye is not Greece’s enemy; it is its neighbor and its ally under the NATO umbrella,” Erdoğan said.

He warned against turning bilateral relations into an election issue, saying ties between the two countries were too sensitive and important to be used as domestic political material.

UN reform

Erdoğan also renewed his call for sweeping reform of the United Nations, criticizing a system in which the will of more than 190 countries could be constrained by the veto powers of five permanent Security Council members.

He said Türkiye’s position was not about seeking greater influence for itself but ensuring fair representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Islamic world, Europe and other regions.

Erdoğan called for the UNSC veto mechanism to be abolished and for the General Assembly to become stronger and more effective.

Under a reformed system, elected members should serve for defined periods and would have to regain the confidence of the international community if they wanted another term, he said.

“The world’s problems should not be solved and decided by five members, but by all members,” Erdoğan said.

COP31 in Antalya

Erdoğan also outlined Türkiye’s priorities for COP31, which Antalya is set to host from Nov. 9-20, saying the summit would focus on concrete action against climate change and provide a stronger platform for developing countries.

He said Türkiye would present its measures and road maps and outline how it planned to address the differing effects of climate change across regions.

“COP31 is not just a climate conference,” Erdoğan said, describing it as a platform where developing countries could make their voices heard, set out their expectations and pursue concrete results.

He said developed countries had a responsibility to stand by and support nations facing difficulties in accessing climate financing.

“The fight against climate change now requires action, not words,” Erdoğan said.

Disasters did not recognize national boundaries, he added, pointing to wildfires, floods and droughts as challenges requiring cooperation across borders.

Erdoğan said he expected the Antalya COP31 summit to become an important milestone in global efforts to tackle climate change.

Turkish authorities detained 38 suspects in two separate investigations, including a renewed probe into the 2009 helicopter crash that killed politician Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and an espionage investigation involving the country’s financial intelligence agency, said Justice Minister Akın Gürlek on Friday.

Gürlek said 33 people were detained in a second wave of operations linked to the crash that killed Yazıcıoğlu, founder of the Great Unity Party (BBP) and five others.

Judicial proceedings were launched against 47 suspects, 10 of whom were already in prison. Authorities were searching for four others, Gürlek said. Police carried out simultaneous searches and seizures at 45 locations across 16 provinces in the Ankara-based operation.

The investigation is being coordinated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office with support from Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and Ankara police.

Authorities suspect the individuals of involvement in premeditated murder in connection with activities attributed to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and of committing offenses intended to prevent the circumstances surrounding the crash from being uncovered, according to Gürlek.

Yazıcıoğlu and five others were killed when their helicopter crashed in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş on March 25, 2009.

Investigators are examining allegations that search-and-rescue operations after the crash were deliberately misdirected, false information reports were prepared and witnesses and confidential witnesses were manipulated.

In a separate operation on Friday, authorities launched judicial proceedings against 22 suspects as part of what prosecutors described as a “political or military espionage” investigation involving the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).

Five suspects were detained in simultaneous operations centered in Istanbul and also conducted in Ankara. Arrest warrants were issued for 16 suspects believed to be abroad, while authorities continued searching for one other suspect, Gürlek noted.

The investigation focuses on alleged unauthorized activity involving MASAK’s Integrated Financial Intelligence System (EMIS) and the security of its records.

Prosecutors say they have identified links between individuals and companies involved with developing and maintaining MASAK’s digital infrastructure between 2012 and 2018 and what authorities describe as FETÖ’s clandestine network.

Investigators found that EMIS software had been developed by AGMLAB A.Ş. since 2012 and identified corporate and management links between AGMLAB, MRD A.Ş. and Barış Ata A.Ş., a company previously shut down by government decree, Gürlek said.

Authorities allege some shareholders held senior roles in clandestine networks associated with the military, information technology, defense industry and gendarmerie.

Technical examinations also found that safeguards protecting a list of politically exposed persons had been disabled, after which searches involving President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, his relatives and several ministers were carried out, according to Gürlek.

Investigators also identified possible irregularities in the integrity of some records and indications that certain data fields may have later been deleted. Gürlek said administrators’ activities could not be retrospectively audited because relevant system logs had not been maintained.

A former MASAK deputy chair was among the 22 suspects targeted in the investigation.

The minister said authorities would continue both investigations.

The Daily Sabah Newsletter

Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.

SIGN ME UP

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stepped up Türkiye’s diplomatic outreach in New York on Thursday, meeting senior EU and foreign officials while joining international talks focused on Libya’s political unity, security and economic future.

Fidan attended the “International Support for Peace, Unity and Prosperity in Libya” meeting on the sidelines of the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Officials from Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the U.K., France, Italy, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also joined the meeting, which focused on the U.N.-led political process in Libya as well as the country’s economic prosperity and security.

Addressing the gathering, Fidan stressed that stability and security in Libya were important for the wider region and said Türkiye would continue to actively contribute to efforts in this direction.

Referring to his Aug. 11-12 visit to Libya, during which he held talks in Tripoli and Benghazi, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s support for efforts to establish a unified government under Ankara’s “One Libya” policy.

He called on international partners to maintain dialogue with all Libyan parties and actors without discrimination and stressed the need to support a political process led and owned by Libyans.

Fidan also highlighted Türkiye’s capacity-building assistance aimed at unifying and strengthening Libya’s economic and security institutions, saying Ankara was prepared to play a key role in the country’s development and security.

Alongside the Libya talks, Fidan met EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas at the Turkish House. The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced the meeting but did not provide details about the discussions.

Fidan separately met EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

His diplomatic engagements also included separate meetings with Bosnia-Herzegovina Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic and Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen.