Politics
Erdoğan runs diplomacy on margins of COP31
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a busy schedule on Thursday in the southern city of Antalya, where he attended the COP31 summit. After wrapping up the first day of the event on Wednesday with an address to leaders, he embarked on one-on-one talks with the summit’s guests. In the morning, he held talks with Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and later met leaders from Sudan, Libya, Georgia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Communications Directorate Chair Burhanettin Duran, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair Ömer Çelik, intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın and Erdoğan’s advisers accompanied the president at most meetings.
Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was among Erdoğan’s guests on Thursday. The Directorate of Communications said al-Burhan and Erdoğan discussed bilateral ties and future moves for more cooperation in many fields, from the defense industry to investments and agriculture. Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Sudan’s unity, territorial integrity and independence, as well as the Sudan peace initiative. Ankara has repeatedly called for a peaceful and lasting resolution to the conflict that erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, warning that continued instability poses risks to regional and global security. Türkiye has also continued its diplomatic efforts and humanitarian assistance aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people and supporting long-term stability in the country.
Erdoğan also held talks with Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, expressing commitment to further steps to boost cooperation between Türkiye and Libya. The Turkish president underlined support for Libya’s stability and “opposition to any initiative not backed by Libyans themselves and those against the interests of Libya.” Libya has recently approved a maritime jurisdiction deal with Türkiye on the Mediterranean, years after it was signed, to the chagrin of Türkiye’s opponents in the Mediterranean. The approval, which followed Türkiye’s expanding outreach to rival sides in the North African country, builds upon Ankara’s efforts for Libya’s stability, seeking consensus between the eastern and western factions.
On Erdoğan’s meeting with Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, the Directorate of Communications said the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and regional issues. Erdoğan told the Congolese leader that they would take steps to enhance cooperation on commerce, transportation and the defense industry, among other areas, and expressed Türkiye’s support for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s territorial integrity and lasting stability.
Erdoğan also held talks with Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will host Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Friday in Istanbul as the two leaders are scheduled to co-chair the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee meeting. The countries are expected to sign a string of important agreements and memoranda of understanding during the meeting.
Faisal bin Abdullah Al Hanzab, Qatar’s ambassador in Ankara, says the meeting will boost cooperation between the countries on the economy, defense industry, artificial intelligence and technology.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday, the ambassador said relations, based on deep-rooted historic bonds of brotherhood, further developed through mutual trust and joint political will and were now beyond conventional political coordination and expanded to many fields from economy to defense and technology.
Türkiye and Qatar established a strategic partnership in 2014, and their High Strategic Committee has met annually since 2015. The two countries have signed 115 agreements through 11 committee meetings.
Bilateral trade reached $1.15 billion in 2025, with both countries aiming to raise the volume to $5 billion. To that end, a trade and economic partnership agreement entered into force on Aug. 1, 2025.
The ambassador said that Friday’s meeting presented great opportunities. “This meeting reflects the determination of the two countries to further advance their strategic partnership and create new opportunities for cooperation in institutional, economic, defense and technology fields. We aim to turn our shared understandings into concrete steps and projects,” he said.
He noted that, amid the prevailing uncertainties in the current international environment, coordination between Qatar and Türkiye serves as an important pillar in reducing tensions, resolving disputes through peaceful means and supporting diplomatic efforts to strengthen regional and international security and stability.
He stated that Qatar has numerous investments in Türkiye. “These investments reflect our strong confidence in Türkiye’s economy and financial system. My visits to different Turkish cities and meetings with officials have allowed me to closely observe the country’s economic diversity and extensive investment opportunities. Türkiye’s potential often goes far beyond what indicators and figures reveal.”
Noting that significant opportunities exist to increase trade volume between the two countries and expand mutual investments, the ambassador said industry, infrastructure, construction, technology and financial services were among the priority areas for cooperation. He added that artificial intelligence, digital transformation, advanced technology and industrial innovation also offered opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation.
He emphasized that the “Badr Memorandum of Understanding,” signed by Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia, offers significant opportunities for joint production, technical knowledge sharing and technology development in the defense industry.
Stating that the memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation in the defense industry, joint production, the sharing of technical expertise and research and development, Al Hanzab said, “This memorandum could enable each country to benefit from the industrial, engineering and technological advantages and expertise of the others. It could also help share research and development costs, increase knowledge transfer and expand access to new markets.”
The quadrilateral defense cooperation agreement was signed in Doha last month and is aimed at boosting defense cooperation and strengthening the four countries’ defensive capabilities. It will also support military exercises and training and cooperation on research and development (R&D) and contribute to joint efforts to improve their defense industries, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense said last month. Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a robust defense industry, has been helping Gulf nations, including Qatar, where it has a military base, bolster their defenses amid the Iran war. In August, it signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, under which an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all. Ankara also has close ties with Indonesia, notably in the defense industry. Türkiye says that the Mecca partnership is meant to strengthen collective deterrence, enhance joint capabilities in the defense sector and safeguard security and stability in the region.
The Badr accord will strengthen ties between the countries’ defense industries and bolster collaboration to promote security and achieve shared objectives, the Defense Ministry said.
Noting that Qatar continues its mediation efforts amid tensions between the United States and Iran and developments in Gaza, Al Hanzab stressed that diplomatic coordination with Türkiye is important for regional stability.
“Qatar’s position on this matter is clear and unwavering. Our country has always invested in peace, diplomacy and bringing the positions of the parties closer together. We believe that wars do not provide lasting solutions to disputes and that the expansion of conflicts threatens the security and stability of the region, causing significant harm to its peoples and economies,” he said.
He stated that Türkiye and Qatar’s communication channels with numerous regional and international actors contribute to diplomatic efforts, adding: “The two countries are well-positioned to strengthen coordination on current developments thanks to their extensive regional and international relations, communication channels with different parties and experience in mediation.”
Commenting on developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, Al Hanzab said Israel’s violations and failure to fulfill its obligations under the cease-fire agreement were deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Emphasizing that the cease-fire agreement must be fully implemented to ensure lasting stability in Gaza, he said: “Developments in Gaza and the West Bank cannot be considered separately from Israel’s ongoing violations and the occupying forces’ refusal to fulfill their obligations under the cease-fire agreement. This prevents the transition to recovery and reconstruction while prolonging the humanitarian suffering of civilians.”
The ambassador emphasized that Qatar, in coordination with its partners, particularly Türkiye, continues its diplomatic efforts to make the cease-fire permanent, ensure the implementation of all provisions of the agreement, reopen border crossings and facilitate the safe, regular and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. He said they were also working to establish the necessary conditions for the launch of Gaza’s reconstruction and revive a serious political process that would pave the way for a just and lasting peace.
Highlighting the importance of the partnership between Türkiye and Qatar in this regard, Al Hanzab stressed that the two countries’ political and humanitarian coordination offers significant opportunities to mobilize international support and strengthen cooperation with international organizations.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the margins of the COP31 summit, which the latter also attended, along with heads of state and government from across the globe.
In addition to bilateral relations, the talks also focused on the U.S.-Iran war. The Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications said that at Thursday’s meeting in the southern city of Antalya, Erdoğan expressed Türkiye’s desire for an immediate end to the conflict between Iran and the United States and for establishing a lasting peace. He said the ground for consensus should be cemented for the start of a period of stability, and diplomacy should be given a chance.
Erdoğan said it was crucial to set up a negotiation table without wasting more time and underlined that Türkiye would continue supporting peace-oriented efforts in cooperation with other friendly countries in the region.
Pezeshkian said Wednesday that U.S. and Israeli attacks on fuel facilities in Iran released 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing extensive environmental damage.
Pezeshkian said at the COP31 U.N. climate summit in Türkiye that attacks on fuel facilities in Asaluyeh released 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide. In comparison, strikes on fuel storage tanks near Tehran produced another 1 million tons.
Israeli strikes targeted oil storage facilities in Tehran on March 7, while gas processing facilities in Asaluyeh in southern Iran were hit on March 18.
The president accused Washington and Tel Aviv of causing severe environmental destruction during the military offensive, which began on Feb. 28.
He said the attacks highlighted a contradiction between international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and military operations that destroy infrastructure, trigger widespread fires and release pollutants into the atmosphere.
Pezeshkian also condemned Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, saying the territory was facing a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe due to the destruction of infrastructure, water resources and ecosystems.
He said attacks on Iranian protected areas and environmental ranger stations also damaged natural resources and threatened future generations.
Calling for international accountability, Pezeshkian urged organizations to document environmental damage caused by U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran and Gaza and establish mechanisms for compensation.
He also highlighted Iran’s renewable energy development, saying the installed capacity increased from 1,250 megawatts to more than 6,150 megawatts during the last two years.
Iran generated more than 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in 2026, preventing 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to Pezeshkian.
He stressed that peace and environmental protection were inseparable, saying lasting peace was essential to safeguarding the planet.
The COP31 summit in Antalya brought together leaders from more than 100 countries for the biggest international event ever hosted by the Mediterranean Turkish city, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan taking center stage as a popular host, exchanging warm greetings and posing for selfies while one guest, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, missed the chance for a handshake.
As Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides approached the spot where Erdoğan stood alongside U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to welcome guests, he paused for a few seconds, giving Erdoğan enough time to leave his position, apparently to Christodoulides’ surprise. Türkiye does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
The moment may have offered some relief to the Turkish leader, who patiently greeted and conversed with each leader despite the lengthy list of guests from more than 100 countries.
An Ottoman military band, known as the mehter, welcomed guests outside the greeting area where Erdoğan and Guterres stood, performing traditional marches once used to motivate Ottoman troops as admirers rushed to photograph the band.
In keeping with the summit’s theme, Erdoğan wore a green tie decorated with stars and motifs resembling Türkiye’s domestically developed KAAN fighter jet, similar to ties he has worn at previous events.
The welcoming ceremony was probably one of Erdoğan’s longest in a while, following a Republic Day reception in Ankara last month, when he shook hands with dozens of guests, from ministers to ambassadors. Still, the president took time for brief conversations with several guests.
Among them was European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with whom Erdoğan spoke in Turkish and English. “Good morning, maşallah (blessed be you), how are you?” Erdoğan asked a smiling von der Leyen.
Erdoğan also stopped to speak with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
He also obliged a selfie request from Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., who quickly pulled a cellphone from his pocket before posing between Erdoğan and Guterres.
After the greeting ceremony, Erdoğan and his guests gathered to plant olive trees in a designated area of the summit venue, an event that coincided with Türkiye’s National Forestation Day, observed annually on Nov. 11.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday called on developed countries to take greater responsibility for cutting emissions and financing climate action, warning at the COP31 summit that failure to address the worsening climate crisis would leave future generations facing devastating consequences.
Speaking at the COP31 Business Forum held as part of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), Erdoğan stressed that countries historically responsible for the largest share of carbon emissions must lead global efforts to combat climate change while protecting the development rights of emerging economies.
“Developed countries that have exhausted the global carbon budget must assume greater responsibility for emissions reductions and financing,” Erdoğan said.
He emphasized that developing nations should not be forced to sacrifice economic progress in the fight against climate change, urging stronger international support for communities most vulnerable to its effects.
“The development rights of developing countries must be protected, and communities bearing the heaviest burden of the climate crisis must receive strong support,” he said.
Erdoğan warned that the alarming scale of the climate crisis demanded decisive and coordinated action worldwide, stressing that unilateral approaches would only deepen existing challenges.
“If countries act solely in their own interests, they will open the door to far greater difficulties and much more devastating disasters,” he said.
The president also called on the private sector to play a more active role in addressing climate challenges, arguing that government action alone would not be sufficient.
“Such a universal struggle cannot succeed through the efforts of governments alone. The business community must also step up and shoulder its responsibility,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye reaffirms 2053 net-zero target
Highlighting Türkiye’s commitment to sustainable development, Erdoğan reiterated the country’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2053.
“As Türkiye, we have declared our 2053 target as net-zero emissions. We are resolutely continuing our green development journey,” he said.
Erdoğan said the country was restructuring major sectors of its economy, including energy, industry, transportation, agriculture and buildings, as part of its transition toward a more sustainable economic model.
He also warned against prioritizing short-term economic gains over environmental protection, pointing to the long-lasting consequences of past decisions.
“The mistakes made 50 or 100 years ago are now confronting us one by one. If we repeat those mistakes today and sacrifice ecology for the sake of the economy, our children will pay the price,” Erdoğan said.
Expressing confidence in Türkiye’s ability to meet its environmental and economic objectives, the president said the country had demonstrated its capacity to translate ambitions into concrete achievements.
“Türkiye is a country skilled at turning dreams into goals and goals into reality,” he said.
Erdoğan also highlighted Türkiye’s regional position, saying the country had once again firmly demonstrated its role as an anchor of stability and security in recent months.
A Navtex, a legal advisory message to mariners, issued by Türkiye on Tuesday, defused brewing tensions for now between Türkiye and Greece over maritime rights. The notice by Türkiye cleared the way for the French survey vessel Abeille Marengo to work in the Mediterranean. A report by the Hürriyet newspaper said on Wednesday that Türkiye has been in touch with French authorities over the route of a cable line partially crossing Türkiye’s continental shelf. The vessel works in the Mediterranean as part of the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, which aims to link Greece to the Greek Cypriot part of Cyprus. The undersea project is a sensitive issue as Türkiye is concerned that it would violate maritime jurisdiction of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
With the new Navtex, the French vessel will be free to carry out work in coordinates designated by Türkiye until March 19, 2027. It left the Greek island of Crete, where it had been anchored since Oct. 27 following the Navtex, and headed to the eastern Mediterranean.
In September, Greek media outlets reported that Athens and Paris had considered a “light redesign” of the GSI that would keep the cable outside an area covered by Türkiye’s Fethiye-Kaş marine park, declared south of the Greek island of Meis in August. The newspaper said the proposed adjustment was intended to reduce the risk of a new dispute rather than signal Greek recognition of Turkish jurisdiction in the area.
On Aug. 16, two presidential decrees published in the Official Gazette have reaffirmed Türkiye’s maritime rights in the Aegean Sea. One decree designated an area between the Fethiye district of Muğla and the Kaş district of Antalya in the south of the Aegean as a national marine park, while another applied the same designation to an area in the North Aegean Sea, near the coasts of Tekirdağ and Çanakkale.
The project, intended to connect the island of Cyprus with Europe’s electricity grid and eventually extend to Israel, has faced geopolitical and financial challenges. French infrastructure investor Meridiam acquired a 66% stake in GSI in August, increasing Paris’ involvement in the project.
Athens and its partners decided to alter the route of the planned undersea cable following objections from Ankara, according to reports.
The reported decision to adjust the route came after a warning issued by Türkiye’s Defense Ministry on Sept. 24.
In the statement, the ministry said any cable- or pipeline-laying activities within Türkiye’s continental shelf must be coordinated with Ankara, also underlining that Türkiye would continue to protect its rights and interests stemming from its maritime jurisdiction and continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“No unauthorized activity that disregards our country’s rights will be permitted,” the ministry said.
Ankara and Athens seek to improve relations after years of hostilities, but maritime jurisdictions remain a thorny issue. The countries, which came close to an all-out war in the 1990s over the Aegean Sea, remain vigilant, with Türkiye concentrating on developing its domestic defense industry. Greece, on the other hand, relies on foreign partners to bolster its defenses.
Türkiye on Wednesday condemned Israel for launching a defamatory attack against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after he denounced Israel’s systematic oppression of Palestinians at the COP31 Leaders Summit in Antalya, criticizing Israeli officials for trying to cover up their violations and evade accountability.
In a written statement, the Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s remarks targeting Erdoğan, describing them as another futile attempt to obscure the truth.
“The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s despicable and outrageous slanders against our president represent yet another example of Israeli officials’ futile efforts to conceal the truth,” the ministry said.
The ministry emphasized that Erdoğan’s opening address at the COP31 Leaders Summit had once again brought Israel’s systematic oppression to the forefront of the international agenda, giving voice to concerns shared by humanity’s collective conscience.
Reaffirming Türkiye’s unwavering support for Palestinians, the ministry pledged to continue standing with those subjected to Israel’s aggressive policies.
“As Türkiye, we will continue to stand with all those oppressed by Israel’s aggressive policies, particularly the Palestinians,” it said.
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