Turkish PM says Ankara facing ‘war of perceptions’

NEW YORK – Anadolu Agency

AFP photo

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said Sept. 27 that a “war of perceptions” is being carried out on Turkey through false information and propaganda disseminated by international actors.

“There are terrorist acts against Turkey at home, but there is also another form of terrorism from abroad…via perception operations,” Davutoğlu said in New York during a meeting with representatives of the Turkish community in the U.S.

“This perception terrorism is as dangerous as armed terrorism inside and it is taking on the future of Turkey,” Davutoğlu said.

The Turkish premier is in the U.S. to attend a U.N. General Assembly.

Davutoğlu highlighted allegations against the Turkish government because of the country’s stance on the Palestinian and Syrian conflicts as examples of the “war of perceptions” or manipulations of how Turkey is viewed at home and globally.

He urged Turkish citizens in the U.S. to defend their country of origin against such operations that he says are conducted by vested interests.

“Another request from us to you is that you open your hearts to all people whose hearts beat with Turkey and not to become introverted. There is now a Somali diaspora that defends Turkey on every occasion,” he said, adding that Turkey has defended oppressed peoples such as Somalis, Palestinians, Syrians, Egyptians, Bosnians, Albanians and Crimean Tatars on every international platform.

'UN cannot achieve goals without peace'

The U.N.’s global goals to combat poverty, inequality and climate change cannot be realized without peace and security, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said Sept. 27.

Addressing the U.N. General Assembly on the final day of a development summit, Davutoğlu said: “Crucially, the 2030 agenda recognizes what we have been witnessing for years - that sustainable development cannot be realized without  peace and security and that peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.”

Davutoğlu singled out Syria as an example of a humanitarian tragedy caused by a lack of security and stability in the Middle East, resulting in Europe’s largest refugee crises since World War II.

Davutoğlu said Turkey had spent almost $8 million on the refugees it hosts with very little contribution from the international community.

“We cannot reach our sustainable development goals without first addressing complex humanitarian emergencies,” he said. “That is why a stronger emphasis on humanitarian development is strongly needed.

“That is why Turkish humanitarian diplomacy combines humanitarian and development assistance programs within a collective strategy, particularly towards countries in sub-Saharan Africa.”