President Erdoğan: We will not allow unauthorized hands to pollute Jerusalem.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Campus in Ankara. Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan said, "Today, we have gathered for a very meaningful ceremony for our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the apple of the eye of the Turkish bureaucracy. I am delighted to be with you at this ceremony, where we will be laying the groundwork for our Ministry's new campus. I pray to God that this campus will be a blessing for our country, our nation, and the deep-rooted diplomatic tradition of our state. At the outset of my remarks, I commemorate with mercy all our martyrs, whose names are inscribed in the hearts of our nation, along with the inscription in the Cebeci Asri Cemetery, with glory, honor, and, of course, sorrow. May God rest their souls and grant them Paradise, God willing."

In his speech, President Erdoğan said, "Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs' building on Doktor Sadık Ahmet Street has served our institution for 37 years, since 1988. However, this building was inadequate to meet our Ministry's expanding vision, increasing needs, and staffing levels in recent years. To overcome this problem, the idea of ​​dispersing our Ministry's units to different locations in Ankara was considered as a temporary solution. Unfortunately, this did not fully resolve the issue. The spatial disunity of the various units brought about various difficulties both in internal functioning and in the efficiency of services. In fact, we have been wanting to provide our Ministry with a modern campus befitting the gravity of its duties and the mission it represents for some time; it seems this is the day. Finally, with a project we are happy with, we are fulfilling this need, God willing."

'I BELIEVE IT WILL BE ONE OF THE SYMBOLS OF OUR CITY'

President Erdoğan, who noted that the new campus of the Ministry is located on a total of 548 thousand square meters of land, said, "Our new service building, which will be constructed at the intersection of Eskişehir road and Bağlıca Boulevard, will also be close to other public institutions in the surrounding area. Our campus, which has a closed area of ​​334 thousand 500 square meters, consists of 3 main parts: the protocol block, office buildings, and the conference center. 203 thousand square meters of this includes above-ground and 131 thousand 500 square meters includes underground volumes. The total construction area of ​​the project reaches 354 thousand square meters. The campus was designed with a capacity to serve 6 thousand people per day. With a 1600-vehicle indoor parking lot, a 750-person conference hall, a 2600-person cafeteria and various support units, one 80-person and two 40-person press conference halls, our campus will be a modern, comfortable structure with high organizational efficiency. With 360 thousand square meters of green space and a 146 thousand square meter hard "With its groundscaping, it will add value to our city as a user-friendly, ecological, and aesthetically pleasing structure that will ensure everyone's comfort. I also see it important to point out that in this project, we have added the concept of 'Form expresses power' to the architectural principle of 'Form follows function.' Thus, we aimed to provide a new silhouette for the capital, Ankara, and a strong architectural representation for Türkiye in foreign relations. I believe that this campus, a strong, modern, and enduring work that reflects our country's global stance, will become one of the symbols of our city. I would like to express our great pleasure in bringing this project, which is a source of pride in every respect, to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he said.

'IT WILL BE A SIGN OF PRIDE'

Erdoğan, emphasizing that the Foreign Service is a source of pride for the state with its centuries-old tradition, said, "Our Ministry, which has historically held a unique position within our state organization, is also our country's gateway to the world. Therefore, the fact that our Ministry will now have a detached service building worthy of its history, mission, and representative responsibilities, designed to meet its needs, is a very valuable step. The campus will bring together the memory, present, and future of Turkish diplomacy under one roof. This project will, God willing, be a source of pride for our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and shine like a star in our city. I wholeheartedly hope that the foundation we laid today will rise rapidly and that this project, which I know you have eagerly awaited, will be completed as soon as possible. I extend my congratulations in advance to all those who contributed to this major project, especially to our Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Environment, and I wish them success."

'Türkiye BELIEFS IN A WORLD WHERE RIGHT IS MIGHTY'

President Erdoğan, pointing out that international politics has become increasingly volatile, uncertain, and unpredictable, said, “I often say that every morning, we wake up to a new crisis, especially in the region we are in. As a government, we strive to successfully manage all these crises, conflicts, and uncertainties without harming the essential interests of our nation. We are sincerely striving to establish stability and cooperation across a vast geography, from the Balkans to Central Asia, from Africa to Latin America, from Europe to the Asia-Pacific. When necessary, we raise our voices and proclaim what is right. When necessary, we bring conflicting parties together around the same table. When necessary, we try to resolve crises before they escalate further through shuttle diplomacy. Sometimes we use our soft power, sometimes our hard power capabilities, to direct developments in our country's favor. Ultimately, we always stand on the side of right, law, peace, and justice. Everyone, friend or foe, has seen and accepted this: Turkey is entering a world where right is strong, not a world where might is right.” "We believe in and strive for such a world. Our determination that 'the world is bigger than five' has become a symbol of this struggle on a global scale," he said.

"WE EXTENDED OUR HELPING HAND TO OUR BROTHERS"

President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye is also a friend in times of need for its friends and allies, saying, "We have clearly demonstrated our sensitivity on various occasions, from natural disasters like earthquakes and floods to aggressive acts that disregard the sovereignty of our brothers and sisters. We have extended a helping hand to our friends and brothers when they were in trouble. We have helped them strengthen their defense industry capacity. We have supported economic development by expanding our bilateral cooperation. We have supported them on every platform in their efforts to protect their rights and interests. In other words, we have acted accordingly to the dictates of a great power. God willing, we will maintain the same principled stance going forward."

'Türkiye IS A COUNTRY WITH THE POWER TO SET UP ITS OWN GAME'

Emphasizing that the priorities of Turkish foreign policy are to maintain stability, foster peace, ensure peace, and strengthen fraternal ties, Erdoğan said:

We have no business with empty words, sophistry, or cheap polemics. We are focused on our goals within and beyond our borders. I want to emphasize this, and state it with pride. Today, Turkey is a country with the power to set its own game, both domestically and regionally, and to execute it regardless of what anyone says. Just like a master chess player, we plan every move down to the smallest detail and then execute it with composure. No provocation will deter us from achieving our goals. God willing, we will not fall into traps; we will not succumb to provocations; we will not give in to the empty threats of microphone and keyboard bullies. The language of diplomacy is courtesy; and Türkiye's foreign policy is focused on peace. But this does not mean that we will remain silent, cower, or retreat in the face of impertinence; never. We will stand tall, today and tomorrow, as we have throughout history, against those who feed on tension, those who seek to turn our region into a sea of ​​blood, and those who fuel instability in our region.

"THEY WILL DROWN IN THE BLOOD THEY SPILLED"

Stating that oppression and tyranny will not be bowed down to, Erdoğan said:

"No one can stop us from standing with the oppressed people of Gaza who are struggling to survive under Israel's brutal attacks. We will continue to stand in full solidarity with all our brothers and sisters who are targets of Israeli banditry, from Syria to Yemen, from Lebanon to Qatar. Whether the perpetrator is an organization or a state, terror and massacre are a mental deadlock. This bloody lock that holds our region captive will, God willing, eventually break. Those who think they can build a safe future for themselves through oppression, genocide, barbarity, and at the expense of the lives of innocent children will certainly lose, like so many others in history, and will drown in the blood they have shed. There is no escape, no salvation. As members of a nation that has carried the banner of Islam for centuries, we have had the honor of serving Jerusalem for 400 years. With the respect, wisdom, and tolerance that find their meaning in the expression 'There is no God but Allah, Ibrahim Halilullah,' we have made this praised city a place of peace and prosperity for all believers for centuries." We made it a land of peace. We respected the rights of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Today, as the poet put it, half of our hearts are Mecca, the other half Medina; above them lies Jerusalem like a veil. Jerusalem is the common cause, memory, and shared heritage of the Islamic world of 2 billion, including us. We will not allow unauthorized hands to defile Jerusalem, which we see as "a banner above the earth, a magnificent plane tree." I know that the "pain in the tail" of those who emulate Hitler will perhaps never pass. They will perhaps never forget the stance we took 27 years ago as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor. Let them continue to throw tantrums. We, as Muslims, will not step back from our rights over East Jerusalem, not even a single step. Our struggle to make Jerusalem, considered sacred by all Abrahamic religions, a city of peace, tranquility, and security will continue with unwavering resolve, without slowing down, without retreating, and without slackening, God willing. Similarly, we will continue to work with all our strength for the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and territorially intact State of Palestine, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

"IT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR COUNTRY'S GLOBAL VISION"

Recalling that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2023, Erdoğan said, “This deep-rooted diplomatic heritage has been shaped by the wisdom, foresight, and patience of our nation; it has always commanded respect and been taken as an example. Today, as we lay the foundations of this new headquarters here in 2025, we are adding to this same legacy. I wholeheartedly believe that you will fulfill your duties with knowledge, competence, devotion, and self-confidence, guided by our state tradition spanning over 2,000 years, as well as the five-century-old Foreign Affairs acquis. Our nation has always had high expectations of our Ministry. The magnitude of the threats we face today further increases this expectation. I know very well that our Ministry will not fall into the slightest weakness in meeting these expectations. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs ranks among the world's leading diplomatic centers today. With the opening of our campus, the foundation of which we will soon lay, God willing, the working opportunities and capabilities of our Ministry will further increase.” "These will continue to grow. Once completed, our campus will become the new base for Türkiye's struggle for global peace, stability, and justice. The decisions made here, the negotiations held, and the messages conveyed to the world will, God willing, strengthen our country's global vision. I have no doubt that this service building, for which we are holding the groundbreaking ceremony, will be an iconic work worthy of our Foreign Service," he said.

MINISTER FİDAN: IT IS TARGETED TO BE IN SERVICE WITHIN 3 YEARS

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the campus will be completed in two phases, saying, "The first phase is targeted to be operational within 550 days, and the entire campus, hopefully, within three years. The challenges we face globally and regionally make the need for a strong and effective foreign policy even more apparent. In order for our Ministry to operate more efficiently and effectively respond to challenges in an ever-changing and evolving world, it must constantly renew itself and adapt to the times. Therefore, we prioritize institutional development and strive to fulfill our duties in the best possible way by constantly reviewing and renewing ourselves. We need stronger diplomacy than ever before. Our diplomatic power plays a decisive role in preventing and ending wars. Today, Turkey has become the guarantor of peace, stability, and justice in our region."

Minister Fidan stated that Turkish diplomacy has a deep-rooted tradition and institutional memory spanning centuries. He said, "The agreements, minutes, and memoirs preserved in our Ministry's archives are also the memory of our nation. Young diplomats, raised in the heart of this nation from the imperial era to the present, carry the banner they inherited from their masters even further. This new campus, the foundation of which we are laying today, will combine the experience of the past with the horizons of the future. Our diplomats who will live here will honorably represent our nation in the international arena, aware of our centuries-old heritage, and will carry our foreign policy into the future under the guidance of our institutional memory."

Following the speeches, President Erdoğan pressed the button and laid the foundation stone of the new campus.

Reporter: News Center