Erdogan: Israel's Threats Must End

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that "for those who believe they can establish a terrorist state in our region, this is a big dream that will never come true." In remarks to the American magazine "Newsweek" on Thursday, Erdogan stated, "Our primary desire is for Syrian territory to be completely free of terrorism and for there to be a prosperous state governed by Syrians." He added, "For those who think they can establish a terrorist state in our region, this is a big dream that will never come true." He further noted that "Israel's threats and attempts to spread conflict must end, otherwise our region will face the danger of deeper conflicts." Regarding tensions between NATO and Russia, he said, "The possibility of direct conflict between NATO and Russia is undoubtedly concerning and any step that could lead to this outcome should be avoided." The Turkish president mentioned, "We do not see the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a substitute for NATO, nor do we consider BRICS as an alternative to any other bloc."