Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that Turkey is working to counter efforts to reshape the region through ongoing conflicts while continuing to strengthen its defense industry, Anadolu reports.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said efforts are being made to influence regional developments through “blood and tears” in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen, adding that Turkey is acting to disrupt these “games”.

He said that Turkey is also “making history” in the defense industry and remains focused on its long-term objectives in a period of, according to him, major regional and global changes.

“As a government and as an alliance, we are aware that we have taken on a historic responsibility at a time of historic transformations. We have no time to deal with quarrels or controversies,” Erdogan said.

He also said that Istanbul will remain Turkish and Muslim despite what he described as opposition from the “remnants of Byzantium”.

Emphasizing national unity, Erdogan said Turkey will continue to stay united, strengthen and move forward as one nation.

Source: prizrenpost