Erdogan: Eliminating Terrorism Is Important To Complete The Development Road With Iraq
Istanbul (NINA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the importance of eliminating terrorist organizations in order to implement the “Development Road” project with Iraq.
Erdogan said in a press statement after a government meeting in the capital, Ankara, last night: "Of course, Turkey respects Iraq's territorial integrity and sovereignty. We support Iraq's fight against terrorism. What we expect from our Iraqi brothers is that they do not allow their country's lands to be used as a base for terrorist acts against our country."
Erdogan added: "Turkey will not allow the establishment of a terrorist entity on its southern borders at all costs," noting that "the Turkish Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense and the Chief of Intelligence conveyed their country's sensitive position related to combating terrorism to the Iraqi side."
He also said: "We will leave for our children outside our borders a safe and stable area where peace prevails, and where terrorism does not exist."
Erdogan explained that in the summer of this year, Turkey will complete an important section of its fortifications in the “Claw Lock Operations” area in northern Iraq, “which will effectively help it in its fight against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party organization.”
The Turkish President stated that his country is located in a geographical area where “wars and conflicts continue without interruption, in addition to the uncertainty in the global economy due to the imbalance that has struck the global security structure.”
He said: "A large number of developed and developing countries face serious threats represented by political instability and the associated social tensions. Despite all these negatives affecting the world, Turkey is moving forward with full determination towards its goals."
Erdogan announced that Turkey achieved a distinguished tourism season last year, with revenues amounting to 54 billion and 315 million dollars, an increase of 17 % over 2022, and in 2024 it aims to receive 60 million tourists and revenues worth 60 billion dollars.
Erdogan pointed out that Turkey last January recorded a record high in exports compared to the same month in previous years, amounting to $20 billion.
The Turkish President expressed his happiness with the increase in foreign investors' confidence in the Turkish economy, the increase in investments in the Turkish lira and the decrease in the risk index for Turkey. He said: "We will clearly see during the coming period the positive effects of our economic program on other areas, especially inflation."
It is noteworthy that the "Development Road" project includes the land and railway road extending from Iraq to Turkey and its ports, starting from the port of Al-Faw in the Gulf of Basra, and consists of a land and railway road with a length of 1,200 kilometers inside Iraq, linking it to the Turkish railway network.
The investment budget for the project amounts to about 17 billion dollars, and it will be completed in three phases, the first ending in 2028, the second in 2033, and the third in 2050./End
