Newsletters
Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Omer Celik declared that all party efforts focus on the complete dissolution of the PKK terrorist organization and its affiliates, emphasizing they must lay down arms and surrender weapons as part of the "Terrorism-Free Türkiye" process.
Speaking after the AK Party Central Decision and Executive Board meeting chaired by President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, Celik addressed reporters at party headquarters and outlined the government's position on multiple regional issues.
"All our work is a process whereby the PKK, with all its branches and extensions and illegal structures, is dissolved and lays down arms, surrendering its weapons," Celik said during the press conference.
Celik stated that the party closely follows developments in Palestine and Gaza, warning those encouraging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Gaza occupation plans that the consequences would be severe.
"While all genocide crimes have been committed so far, the only thing that should be done, both for the future of the region and for the future of humanity, is to stop this massacre network headed by Netanyahu and bring it to justice," he said.
"They should be held accountable for genocide crimes just as the Nazis did. Apart from this, everyone who encourages them will have to face some Nazi actions that have gone even further," Celik added.
He praised countries that announced they would recognize Palestine in September, calling it "an extremely valuable step" and expressing satisfaction with the rising global wave in this direction.
When asked about recent attacks in Syria and whether the YPG's refusal to lay down arms poses an obstacle to the process, Celik recalled that when the terrorism-free Türkiye process first began, they stated that the PKK terrorist organization must lay down arms with all its branches and extensions.
Celik emphasized that illegal structures must also be dissolved alongside armed groups, explaining Türkiye's understanding of the terrorism-free Türkiye concept.
"We see from some conversations in Syria that some reservations are being considered regarding this approach, that there are objections from these circles to the approach toward laying down arms with all branches and extensions, or dissolving their illegal structures. But our principles and attitude are clear. We also see the mobility there," Celik said.
Celik also revealed details about arrangements between the Syrian government and the SDF, which is a PKK structure.
He said there was an action plan to be implemented within a year where armed groups would lay down their weapons on the basis that the Syrian army would be the only armed force, and they would surrender to that structure.
"Different models would emerge in Iraq and Syria. They would also be integrated into the Syrian army," Celik explained.
However, he noted various developments were being used as pretexts to redirect this process, with attempts to present approaches contrary to Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty and efforts to create different mobilizations through opportunism.
Emphasizing that this situation is unacceptable, Celik stated, "When we say terrorism-free Türkiye, this will also be a source of inspiration for the terrorism-free region goal. Moreover, the models that these terrorist groups propose for Syria or Iraq are of no benefit to the Kurds, Arabs, or Turkmens there."
"These are nothing more than the implementation of political projects, these imperialist projects, through terrorist organizations, in the form of 'collapse' in certain regions of countries that imperialist centers could not fully obtain," he said.
He added that they observe approaches opposing this process, but emphasized they will not lose focus.
"All our work is a process whereby the PKK, with all its branches and extensions and illegal structures, is dissolved and lays down arms, surrendering its weapons," Celik reiterated.
Celik underlined that they closely monitor the Syria issue, stating, "We want it to be known that we are sensitively monitoring steps to protect or update positions that threaten Türkiye's national security. We know each one very well."
"The essential thing there is for this agreement we mentioned between the Syrian government and the structure called SDF to be implemented as soon as possible. Then there will be no problem anyway," he noted.
He warned against attempts to open corridors from the Sweida region to areas controlled by the SDF and create different zones, describing these as "imperialist and Zionist demands."
"We see that statements made on behalf of the SDF are trying to be camouflaged as 'local government models, autonomous models in Syria.' This is an issue we follow with sensitivity," Celik said.
Celik later said that they would not allow sabotage of Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty framework or efforts to undermine the terrorism-free Türkiye and terrorism-free region goals.
"We will not allow the sabotage of the process regarding the PKK terrorist organization laying down arms and dissolving itself. We will do what is necessary," he concluded.
1 min read
3 min read
