Foreign Minister Fidan: ‘Türkiye prioritizes peace and stability, AI is on our agenda’

In a live broadcast on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underlines Türkiye’s important role in promoting regional stability and peace, emphasizing Ankara’s stance on AI and stating that artificial intelligence is a game changer

In a live broadcast Wednesday on various aspects of foreign policy, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underlined Türkiye’s important role in promoting regional stability and economic development, emphasizing the necessity for peace and security.

Türkiye’s role in regional stability and peace

Fidan highlighted Türkiye’s proactive stance in addressing conflicts, irrespective of direct involvement, advocating for strategic alliances and institutionalization in the region.

“I believe we have made significant progress. Türkiye’s primary position has always been to address conflicts, whether it is involved or not,” he stated.

Addressing the situation in Ukraine, he emphasized Türkiye’s role as a mediator, advocating for a peaceful resolution and rejecting occupation and destructive warfare.

Emphasizing Türkiye’s significant regional contributions, both economically and politically, Fidan stressed the importance of conflict avoidance to facilitate development, trade, and education.

He also discussed organizational reforms within the Foreign Ministry, focusing on balancing tradition with necessary changes and expanding Türkiye’s outreach efforts globally, particularly in regions like Latin America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific.

Fidan urges US to pressure Israel for peace in Gaza

Regarding Türkiye’s relationship with the U.S., Fidan acknowledged disagreements on issues such as Gaza, highlighting the divergence in their approaches and urging the U.S. to exert pressure on Israel to prevent further violence.

He criticized the West, particularly the U.S., for enabling oppression and massacre through their support, stressing the growing global awareness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the need for a reevaluation of Israel’s refusal to accept internationally recognized borders.

“The West, especially America, was losing moral superiority, and this oppression and massacre are possible because of their support,” he said.

Fidan also called for a shift in the international system’s response to such challenges, citing the recent abstention by the U.S. on a U.N. Security Council resolution on humanitarian aid and a cease-fire, which passed despite Israel’s objections.

AI in focus: Fidan highlights Türkiye’s stance on AI

Referring to the increasing importance of AI, Fidan stated that he is closely following the developments in the field and that AI will be a game changer.

“It’s a topic I closely monitor. There are capabilities we aim to acquire in intelligence. AI has advanced to the extent that many professions are being displaced. I recently visited a country—I won’t disclose the name—where they’ve integrated AI extensively. There are proprietary versions of these technologies, some of which I had the chance to witness. In this country, tasks like accounting, architectural designs, static and engineering calculations are automated,” Fidan reiterated on the topic.

Underlining that Türkiye should also focus more on AI, Fidan added, “When these technologies become commercialized and integrated into society, we must anticipate a scenario where machines replace humans. As Türkiye, we must prioritize our efforts in AI. There’s a risk of AI spiraling out of control. Historically, states have acquired nuclear weapons, and now there’s talk of space weapons. AI will significantly impact intelligence operations, becoming a game-changer in intelligence analysis.”

Source: Newsroom