Türkiye calls for lifting all restrictions on defense exports

Türkiye’s head of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, Hulusi Akar, called for the removal of all official and unofficial restrictions on defense exports and arms export licenses, emphasizing the need to equip Turkish forces to effectively address common security challenges.

Akar addresses Parliamentary Conference in Warsaw

Akar made these remarks during his participation in the Parliamentary Conference on Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) in Warsaw, organized by Poland, which holds the presidency of the European Union.

In his address, Akar stressed the importance of lifting restrictions on defense exports, stating, “Türkiye seeks to equip its forces in a manner that enables them to effectively combat any shared security threats. We call for the removal of all official and unofficial restrictions on defense exports and arms export licenses.”

Cyprus conflict and human rights

Akar also highlighted the ongoing issues between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities, stating that the Greek Cypriots must account for decades of human rights violations and the atrocities they committed against Turkish Cypriots.

Akar emphasized Türkiye’s commitment to providing security in Cyprus as part of its guarantee agreements.

He added, “It is the Greek Cypriot side that rejected the solution in the Annan Plan in 2004 and left the table in Crans-Montana in 2017.”

NATO’s role and fight against terrorism

Akar called for strengthening NATO’s collective defense missions and reiterated Türkiye’s strong stance against terrorism.

He said, “Terrorism remains one of the most serious hybrid threats. Türkiye has been at the forefront of combating all terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda, Daesh, FETO, and PKK/YPG.”

Since 2011, Türkiye has eliminated more than 4,500 Daesh terrorists, deported over 11,000, and prevented the entry of more than 100,000 foreign terrorist fighters into the region, Akar noted.

Türkiye’s role in regional security

Akar also emphasized Türkiye’s role as a regional stability and security provider.

“As a provider of regional stability and security, Türkiye calls for the removal of all official and unofficial restrictions on defense exports and arms export licenses to equip its forces effectively for any joint security challenges,” he added.

NATO support and future cooperation

Akar underscored Türkiye’s commitment to NATO’s principle of “the indivisibility of security,” reaffirming its consistent support for NATO’s deterrence and defense efforts.

He also highlighted that Türkiye had agreed to all of NATO’s 2025 Capability Targets and exceeded the 2% defense spending threshold.

Moreover, Ankara’s participation in the EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina further demonstrates its strong support for regional stability. As the largest non-EU military contributor to EUFOR Althea under the Berlin Plus arrangements, Türkiye’s role in strengthening trans-Atlantic relations and defense cooperation was emphasized by Akar, who stated, “Türkiye is ready to contribute to deeper cooperation in the defense sector and advanced technology fields.”