UPDATE - Contacts continue for extension of Black Sea grain deal: Turkish National Defense Ministry

ADDS MORE FROM NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTRY BRIEFING

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye is working to ensure the continuation of last year’s landmark Black Sea grain deal, currently set to expire in 11 days, the country’s National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"Our contacts with officials from the UN, Russia, and Ukraine regarding extension of the grain initiative, which is set to expire on July 17, continue in coordination with the Turkish Foreign Ministry," a National Defense Ministry official told reporters at a background briefing in the capital Ankara.

The official added that under the historic deal, to date more than 32 million tons of grain have been transported to people in need.

"Our country will continue to do its part by continuing its constructive initiatives for regional peace and humanitarian aid, especially for re-extension of the grain agreement," the official said, referring to several previous extensions of the deal pushed heavily by Ankara, one of its chief architects.

A year ago Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which had been paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began that February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the UN was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

The first ship carrying grain under the historic deal departed last August from the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.

Russian officials have strongly hinted that this month they could block the extension of the grain deal, complaining that parts of the deal to allow Russian exports have gone unfulfilled.

- Fight against terrorism

Turning to the nation’s counter-terrorism efforts, the official also said Türkiye has carried out 320 operations and "neutralized" a total of 794 terrorists since Jan. 1.

"Our army is fighting with great devotion to contribute to the peace and security of our country and the peace and stability of our region, the world and all humanity against all terrorist organizations,” said the official, citing in particular the YPG/PKK, Daesh/ISIS, and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

All of Türkiye’s operations against the terrorist threat are carried out in line with international law, respecting the borders and territorial integrity of all its neighbors, especially Iraq, within the scope of the right of self-defense and targeting only terrorist elements in the region, the official stressed, referring to operations targeting terrorist hideouts over the border

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.

In the defeated 2016 coup in Türkiye orchestrated by FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen, 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.

Terrorist groups continue to attack civilians and military units from other regions, especially in northern Syria, the official said.

"As of Jan. 1, sixty-seven harassment incidents and attacks were carried out by the terrorist group (PKK/YPG) in our operation areas, and 587 terrorists were neutralized with the immediate intervention of our heroic commandos," he added.

Türkiye will continue to stand by the Syrian people against those who deprive civilians of their right to life in order to disrupt regional peace and stability while trying to legitimize itself under the name of fighting Daesh, especially the terrorist PKK/YPG, the official added.

Türkiye has long complained of the U.S. working with the PKK/YPG on the pretext of “fighting Daesh/ISIS.” Turkish officials say using one terrorist group to fight another makes no sense.

Türkiye, Russia, Iran and Syria are in contact on normalizing ties between Ankara and Damascus, as well as counterterrorism, the political process, and humanitarian matters, including the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of Syrians from Türkiye, said the official.

About illegal crossings into Türkiye, he said thanks to additional and effective measures, this year 3,736 people, including 268 terrorists, who tried to cross Türkiye's borders illegally were caught since Jan. 1. A total of 118,425 people were prevented before they crossed the border.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

The country, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is taking new measures at its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

- Quran burning in Sweden

About last week’s burning of a Quran in front of a mosque in Sweden, on the first day of a major Muslim holiday, the ministry official said: "We condemn this vile attack on our sacred values ​​in the name of so-called freedom of expression."

If Stockholm fulfills its duties under the trilateral memorandum signed last June in Madrid to address Ankara's security concerns on terrorism, there is no reason not to approve its NATO membership, like in the case of Finland, he added.

"However, despite this positive attitude, the act of burning the Quran on the first day of Eid al-Adha is an indicator of how justified our reservations in this process are," it stressed, adding that Sweden's NATO membership is at the discretion of the Turkish parliament.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has underlined that Sweden cannot hope to join NATO as long as it gives shelter and a green light to terrorists and supporters of terrorists.

- Turkish soldiers in Kosovo

About Turkish soldiers deployed as part of a NATO force to maintain order amid tension in Kosovo, near the border with Syria, the official said: "Until now, our work has gone successfully ... The task of our alliance (NATO) will continue until the beginning of September."

Last month, Türkiye deployed troops to Kosovo at the request of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command amid tension in the Balkan country.

Tensions rose in Kosovo following the election of ethnic Albanian mayors in four Serb-dominated municipalities in the country's north in April. Serbs had boycotted the elections, and afterwards protested the results and tried to block the mayors from taking office.

Albanians are Kosovo’s largest ethnic group, followed by Serbs, especially in the country’s north, bordering Serbia. Serbia has never recognized Kosovo’s independence, and amid the rising tension, Serbia sent troops to the border with Kosovo.

Ethnic Serbs have been protesting the election of ethnic Albanian mayors since late May.