Hawzah News Agency- Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly, made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the third NATO Parliamentary Summit hosted in Istanbul. Addressing global security developments, he underlined the necessity of strengthening diplomacy alongside defense cooperation, asserting that NATO must play a role in creating mechanisms for achieving peace in addition to developing military capabilities.
Pointing to shifting global power balances and the transition toward a multipolar order, Kurtulmuş stressed that current challenges cannot be resolved through outdated approaches, and that lasting security can only be attained through dialogue and diplomacy. He emphasized that Turkey, while standing firm against aggression and violations of international law, has consistently supported negotiation and the diplomatic resolution of disputes.
Ending Israeli Aggression Guarantees Global Peace
The Turkish parliament speaker touched upon the Russia-Ukraine war, recalling Ankara’s mediation efforts between the two sides and citing the Black Sea Grain Corridor agreement and prisoner exchanges as examples of diplomatic achievements.
He also welcomed the ongoing talks between Iran and the United States, expressing hope that the dialogue would lead to a ceasefire and a just, lasting peace, and cautioning against provocative actions that could derail the process.
In a key segment of his address, Kurtulmuş identified the question of Palestine as one of the gravest threats to global peace. He stated that Israeli attacks on Gaza have reached a level that, by the standards of international law, has taken on genocidal dimensions. The problem, he stressed, is not only the tens of thousands of civilian casualties or the destruction of Gaza, but that the future and hope of humanity itself are being targeted.
The Turkish parliament speaker reiterated that the two-state solution is the only viable path to peace, calling for the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"Ending the aggression of the Israeli government does not simply mean bringing calm to the Palestinians; it guarantees world peace," Kurtulmuş declared.
He added: "As long as Palestinians do not attain freedom, peace will never prevail in the Middle East."
Criticism of NATO Allies' Sanctions on Turkish Defense Industry
Turning to defense cooperation within the NATO framework, Kurtulmuş criticized the ongoing restrictions and sanctions imposed by some alliance members against Turkey's defense industry. He described such measures as unilateral, meaningless, and contrary to the spirit of allied partnership. At the same time, he expressed gratitude to nations that have cooperated in strengthening Turkey’s air defense systems, singling out Spain in particular.
The Turkish parliament speaker concluded by stressing that the world stands on the threshold of a new order. He called on NATO member states to work collectively not only on security cooperation but also toward building a more just international system and establishing lasting peace.
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