Ankara to support legitimate Tripoli government, ensure implementation of all agreements, says Turkish president
Turkey's latest steps completely foiled the plots to exclude the country from the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish president said Tuesday.
“The project to exclude Turkey from the Mediterranean has been foiled with the latest steps we have taken,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in his New Year's address to the nation.
"With support to the legitimate Tripoli government, Turkey will ensure implementation of all elements of agreements with Libya," Erdoğan added.
Turkey's presidency on Monday submitted a motion to the Parliament Speaker's Office on sending troops to Libya. The parliament is set to debate the motion on Thursday.
On Nov. 27, Ankara and Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) signed two separate pacts: one on military cooperation and the other on maritime boundaries of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011 when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of long-serving President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.
Since then, Libya’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power -- one in Tobruk and another in Tripoli -- and a host of heavily-armed militia groups.
"I believe, 2020 will be a year in which we will begin to reap the fruits of our struggles, sacrifices and efforts," Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan stressed that Turkey's indigenous car project is a success “as the Turkish nation embraced it”.
The prototype of Turkey's first indigenous car was unveiled last week.
The electric car will have two different horsepower options -- 200 hp and 400 hp.
It was designed by Turkey’s Automobile Joint Venture Group (TOGG) in just 18 months.
The Turkish president also said that the Canal Istanbul mega project will be advanced "step by step" in the coming year.
The planned canal is meant to provide relief to shipping traffic between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, particularly oil tanker traffic, through the Bosphorus.
It is one of Turkey's most strategic megaprojects and plans to eliminate the rising risk posed by ships carrying dangerous goods through the Bosphorus.
The 45-kilometer (nearly 28-mile) canal, which will be built west of the city center on the European side of Istanbul province, is to boost capacity to 160 vessels a day.
