Turkish NSC: Ankara welcomes peace process between Azerbaijan, Armenia

Ankara welcomes the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and wishes that a peace treaty will be signed as soon as possible, which will lead to long-term peace and stability in the Caucasus region.

The remarks were made in an official statement of the Turkish National Security Council (NSC) that circulated after the council’s first meeting after the May election held in Ankara on June 8, Anadolu reports.

According to the statement, the target-oriented and consistent fight against terrorist organisations PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG, FETO and ISIS will continue both inside and outside the country.

The statement noted that the Russian-Ukrainian war increases the risks for the region and that Türkiye will continue to contribute to peace negotiation efforts.

Regarding the situation of Syrian refugees, the NSC expressed the belief that it is important to ensure, through international cooperation, the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrians fleeing conflicts.

“Türkiye is for a lasting peace on Syrian soil, these territories must be cleared of all terrorist organisations,” the statement reads.

The NSC also stressed that Ankara supports the dialogue process in order to prevent tensions in Kosovo from turning into a crisis.

It also called upon the parties to the conflict in Sudan to resolve all issues through negotiations and expresses its readiness to provide all possible assistance to bring peace to the country.

The meeting, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunc, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, National Defence Minister Ysar Güler, Chief of General Staff General Musa Avcever and troop commanders.

Türkiye went to polls for the parliamentary and presidential vote on May 14, as well as a historic runoff on May 28. Erdoğan has remained Türkiye’s 12th ruling president and become the 13th in the line of elected leaders. The people have directly elected the Turkish president since the constitutional amendment was made in 2007.

The AK Party won 268 seats, the most in Parliament, in May 14 polls, as it entered its third decade in power with the latest victory. In addition to the AK Party, its People’s Alliance partners MHP won 50 seats, and the New Welfare Party (YRP) won five, securing a combined majority of 323 seats out of the total in Parliament.

With 169 deputies, the CHP, along with its coalition partner, the IP, secured a total of 212 seats in Parliament, representing the main opposition Nation’s Alliance. The smaller partners of the CHP-led six-party opposition coalition got almost 40 lawmakers by entering the parliamentary elections under CHP lists.

The Labor and Freedom Alliance won Parliament’s remaining 65 seats, comprised of the YSP with 61 seats and TIP with four.

Of the 36 political parties that competed for parliamentary seats, a total of 15 will be making up Parliament in its new term in five separate groups, but most of their leaders are to be absent from the assembly after failing to be elected as lawmakers.