Turkey troops in Qatar to maintain peace: Envoy

Ambassador of Turkey to Qatar, Fikret Özer, (pictured) has said that the presence of Turkish troops in Qatar is aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the world.

“The existence of Turkish soldiers performing a duty kilometres away from their families, but in a brotherly country Qatar, aims at peace, stability and friendship in the world besides at home,” the Ambassador said while addressing a ceremony to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Victory and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Turkey.

He further said that Turkey had exerted effort to enhance peace in the region. “With the motto ‘peace at home, peace abroad’, Turkey has preferred brotherhood and friendship to blood and tear,” he noted.

Turkey-Qatar defence cooperation is based on an agreement signed in 2014. Only two days after three Gulf countries imposed blockade on Qatar on June 5 this year, Turkey’s parliament ratified military deals allowing its troops to be deployed to a Turkish military base in Qatar. 

Under the same agreement between the two countries, Turkish and Qatari navies also carried out a joint exercise dubbed “Iron Shield” in Qatar in the first week of the current month in which hundreds of troops from both sides participated. 

The ambassador further said: “Our country, prioritising respect to rights of its neighbours and seriously striving to solve conflicts as in Iraq and Syria, will maintain to make contribution to peace of region and world.”

Eulogising soldiers of August 30, 1922 Victory, he said: “95 years ago today, the Turkish Army ended four years invasion period in Dumlupınar and declared that Anatolia is the homeland of Turks forever with motto “what makes flag as flag is the blood on it, if there is someone who is giving up the life for the sake of the land, that land is the homeland”. The Noble Turkish Army drawing its strength from its people and the God defended the soils of the homeland despite all harsh conditions of the era.”