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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged those seeking to exclude Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean to respect the "joint will" of Ankara and Libya, reaffirming his country's determination to protect its maritime rights and interests.
"I would like to remind once again those who seek to exclude Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean that we expect them to respect the joint will of our country and Libya," Erdogan said following a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
The president emphasized that Türkiye was not seeking to outmaneuver other countries in the region but was focused on safeguarding its rights and interests concerning maritime jurisdiction.
"We are not, so to speak, trying to score against anyone in the Eastern Mediterranean. We are only concerned with protecting our rights and interests regarding maritime jurisdiction areas," he said.
His remarks came days after Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives approved the 2019 maritime jurisdiction agreement between Türkiye and Libya.
Erdogan also reiterated Ankara's commitment to Libya's unity and stability, expressing hope that the country would overcome its longstanding internal divisions.
"As Türkiye, we no longer want to see division or discord in Libya or any other Muslim country. God willing, we will see this aspiration become a reality in Libya," he said.
Turning to broader regional and international developments, Erdogan stressed that maintaining peace and stability at home would become increasingly important for Türkiye amid growing global uncertainties.
"Our sole compass in both politics and foreign policy is Türkiye's interests," he said.
"We will never hesitate to do what is right and beneficial for Türkiye and the Turkish nation, even if it comes at a cost," he added.
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Looking ahead to the 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States, Erdogan highlighted the importance of solidarity and cooperation among Turkic nations.
"As the Turkic world, I believe we will once again stand together in unity and solidarity against those who seek to undermine our unshakable brotherhood," he said.
Addressing ongoing conflicts in the wider region, the president reaffirmed Türkiye's efforts to promote peace, alleviate humanitarian suffering and bring an end to violence.
"As Türkiye, we are sincerely striving, with all the means at our disposal, to extinguish this fire, alleviate suffering, and stop the bloodshed, opposing those who fuel the fire in our region with expansionist ambitions," he said.
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