Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that he will be conducting more cross-border military operations in Syria, reported RT.
Revealing the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (JDP) manifesto for the upcoming elections in June, Erdogan also stressed the self sufficiency of his country’s defence industry.
He said: “Turkey will launch new operations in the new period, like Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch, to clear its borders from terrorists,” adding, “Turkey’s goal is to have 100% indigenously-made land, air and sea defence systems.”
“Turkey is becoming an important power in the world. Turkey will be a global power, a leading force,” the Turkish president said on Sunday, noting that the country aims to enter the ranks of the world’s top 10 economies by 2023.
He stressed that part of the domestic development would focus on achieving complete ‘independence’ in defence, as Nato allies continue to hinder weapons-supply and technology-sharing with Ankara.
“Turkey’s goal is to have 100% indigenously-made land, air and sea defence systems,” Erdogan said. “We will continue to produce our own weapons to become a global power. We will increase our defence industry [assets], like our ALTAY tank, ATAK helicopter, drones, armed drones.”
He went to say that the basic principles of “our foreign policy will continue to be independence, national interest, national security and a conscientious stance”.
Outlining his party’s five year plan Erdogan said that military production, an independent foreign policy and border security are the AKP’s core electoral objectives. Besides fighting the remnants of extremism in the region, the Turkish-led offensive is focusing on uprooting the Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party (PYD).
The manifesto addresses the current impediments Turkey is facing, with regard to straining ties with its Nato allies. Ankara’s access to weapons supply and technology sharing seems to have been cut short since the onslaught of ‘Operation Olive Branch’.
The military incursion which was organised in January, led Turkish forces to expand further into North-western Afrin region in Syria.
