UPDATE - Türkiye expects 'clear picture' on possible cease-fire in Ukraine war by spring

UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER CAVUSOGLU

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye expects to see a "clearer picture" on a possible cease-fire in the Ukraine war or going back to negotiating table by next spring, the country's foreign minister said Friday.

"I think we need to also convince some Western allies to go back to the negotiating table now. Ukraine is advancing on the ground, retaking some of the territories, occupied territories, but Russia in return (is) deliberately targeting civilian infrastructures. So life is getting difficult for the Ukrainians particularly and for us, for all of us," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a special session at the Rome Mediterranean Dialogue.

Emphasizing that there are "more complicated new realities" in the war, Cavusoglu said: "I think before the springtime, we will have a clearer picture about a cease-fire, or truce, or (returning to the) negotiating table.”

As a trusted country in the eyes of both Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye has played a unique role in mediating in the war, which began in February.

- ‘Main actor’ in fighting terrorism

Asked about Türkiye's role in NATO and in the security of Europe, Cavusoglu stressed that his country has been the main actor in NATO in the fight against terrorism.

"We are the only NATO ally that has been fighting against (Daesh) ISIS actively," he said, adding that Türkiye has "eliminated more than 4,500 Daesh terrorists" and "deported more than 9,000 foreign terrorist fighters from more than 125 countries."

"We have been one of the biggest contributors of NATO and we are one of the top five contributors to the NATO missions, NATO activities," he noted.

But he criticized the European Union for only reaching out to Türkiye "whenever there is a migration crisis."

"I hope (our) European Union and European friends will understand the importance of Türkiye not only during the crisis, but in general," he said.

- Israel and Egypt

Asked about Türkiye's normalization efforts with countries like Israel and Egypt, Cavusoglu noted the importance of normalization with Israel, but added that such efforts do not mean “that this normalization will be at the cost of (the) Palestinian cause."

"I think this normalization is mutually beneficial not only between Türkiye and Israel, but also for the region," he added.

On Egypt, he stressed: "Egypt is an important country for Morocco, for (the) Mediterranean region and for (the) Muslim world, for Africa, for all of us."

"Our region particularly needs (a) good relationship between Türkiye and Egypt," he said.

Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shook hands and chatted with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of the opening of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Egypt have been at the level of charges d’affaires since Egypt's 2013 military coup, which overthrew President Mohammed Morsi, who later died.

- Eastern Mediterranean, terrorist threat in northern Syria

On disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean with Greece, Cavusoglu stressed that Türkiye has long called “equitable sharing" for itself and for Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

"We are also for resolving our outstanding issues disputes with our neighbor Greece peacefully and through diplomacy. But you need two to tango, and Greece should also have the same understanding," he added.

On the possibility of a new ground operation in northern Syria against terrorists, Cavusoglu criticized European states as well as the US for "closing their eyes" to PKK terrorists' separatist agenda.

Stressing that neither the US nor Russia met their commitments in northern Syria on the withdrawal of terrorists, Cavusoglu said: "We need to continue our operation to clean these areas of terrorists."

Last month Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword in northern Iraq and Syria, a cross-border aerial campaign against the terror group PKK/YPG, which has illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan and sometimes execute attacks on Turkish soil.

After the air operation was launched on Nov. 20, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also signaled a ground operation in northern Iraq and northern Syria to eliminate the terror threat.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

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 more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the terrorist PKK’s Syrian branch.