Turkey is conducting a major fight at Europe’s doorstep. The Syrian crisis - which has been raging for nine years and has constantly brought new disasters for humanity and threatens us all.
As you read these lines, an EU country, Greece, is suspending its obligations under international law and EU law and carrying out inhumane acts against asylum seekers, shooting at those seeking refuge at its border on land and in the sea, sinks their boats, attacks them with tear gas bombs, and killed three people and injured many more.
While the EU's common values are being trampled, the EU institutions are supporting Greece. Greece is trying to close off the Aegean and the Mediterranean, to cut off Turkey’s access from those seas. Saying that no asylum-seekers should come to their country and Turkey should look after them is irresponsible, and we will not accept this any longer.
To date, at least half a million people have lost their lives and nearly ten million have been displaced. Cities destroyed; people are worn down. 3.6 million of the asylum seekers - two-thirds of all Syrian asylum seekers in the world - have come to Turkey.
Among many terrorist organisations, including PKK/YPG, that have taken up residence in Syria, the only one that the international community has fought against jointly was Daesh. Even so, the real turning point was Turkey’s military operation "Euphrates Shield", launched in 2016, that has wiped out Daesh.
Since 2014, the Assad regime, with the support of Russia and Iran, has started a total, destructive offensive against the opposition, ignoring civilians, without making any distinction and most recently, Turkish soldiers who were deployed as observers of the ceasefire.
After 2014 which the Assad regime focused on the strategy to destroy its own cities and citizens with outside support, the influx of people escaping from Syria to other countries accelerated. All neighbouring countries became overcrowded with them. Turkey now has the most asylum-seekers in the world.
In 2015, chaos broke out in Europe when asylum-seekers turned towards Europe, leaving Turkey. On 18 March 2016, we reached an agreement with the EU which left the burden of the asylum-seekers to Turkey yet again. Nevertheless, we welcomed the fact that the EU was prepared to share the burden. In the last four years, Turkey has fulfilled all its obligations but the EU has still not kept its promises.
Among them, a contribution of six billion euros was to be made, however only half was delivered. And that contribution did not reach us or the asylum-seekers but was passed to various humanitarian aid agencies. That is not even worth mentioning, bearing in mind that we spent at least US$40 billion from our own resources. Then, even this six billion has not been delivered.
Second, a voluntary humanitarian admission scheme has not been launched and lastly, Turkey was not supported in implementing our proposal for the establishment of a secure zone in Syria. In addition, their commitments regarding the upgrading of the Customs Union, Visa Liberalisation, revitalisation of the Accession negotiations, holding of Turkey-EU summits and cooperation in the fight against terrorism have also not been fulfilled.
The attacks of the Assad regime have not been limited to his own people. Recently, thirty-six Turkish soldiers who were protecting the de-escalation zone, became martyrs due to the Assad regime airstrike.
I want to underline this once again: our country can no longer shoulder this heavy burden that it has assumed alone. It is indecent to regard this statement as a threat, blackmail or political manoeuvre. We are continuing to provide the necessary protection and support to approximately four million people.
Europe should wake up from its long sleep. We should, in cooperation with the UN, create conditions for their voluntary, regular, safe and dignified return. The EU should also cooperate, above all, with Turkey.
Furthermore, without distinguis
hing between terrorist organisations, we must together strengthen our fight against terrorism. We must also work towards an order in the Middle East, based on territorial integrity and universal norms.
I hope that the German people, who have taken in many more asylum-seekers than any other European countries, will no longer listen to those wanting to foment hostility against Turkey.
In this context, one of the EU leaders who understood us best has been Chancellor Merkel. However, even the promised 25 million Euros – a symbolic amount in aid for the construction of building blocks to accommodate refugees – could not be transferred to us due to bureaucratic reasons.
For Europe, the best strategy is cooperation with Turkey and mutual respect. Turkey is a member of NATO and a candidate country to the EU. Without Turkey's help, they cannot be solved at all.
The writer is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times