AKP says Erdoğan–Yavaş talks focused on Ankara’s needs

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s meeting with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş was “normal” and focused on the capital’s needs and planned investments, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Ömer Çelik said on Sept. 10.

“Many mayors request appointments with our president,” Çelik told reporters during a meeting of the party’s Central Decision and Executive Board in Ankara.

Çelik said Yavaş had requested the Sept. 9 meeting and presented Ankara’s problems and investment plans.

Erdoğan, a former mayor, meets municipal leaders from different parties and closely follows projects to improve infrastructure and urban living standards, he added.

On the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, Çelik reiterated that PKK members could benefit from the law only after the group’s dissolution and dismantling were complete.

He said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had been dissolved and Türkiye was continuing to monitor the integration process in Syria.

Çelik also welcomed the Higher Education Council’s request for universities to contribute scientific and academic work to the initiative.

On Israel, he said the issue extended beyond tensions with Türkiye, accusing the Israeli government of pursuing genocidal policies and threatening international law across the region.

He argued that calling Israelis who seize Palestinian land “settlers” made their actions appear innocent.

“They are not settlers; they are thieves and occupiers,” he said.

Çelik said recent statements by Britain and the European Union echoed warnings Erdoğan had previously made at the United Nations.

He also welcomed Türkiye’s improved mathematics, reading and science scores in the OECD’s PISA student assessment, describing the gains across all three subjects as significant.