# Turkish national security and regional policy priorities > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-national-security-and-regional-policy-priorities > Updated: 2026-10-07T17:16:00.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2. Turkish National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has outlined several key pillars of Turkey’s national security and regional policy. In late September, while visiting Kars, Güler emphasized the goal of a ‘Terror-free Turkey,’ stating that the objective is to remove terrorism from the national agenda while strengthening the brotherhood between Turks and Kurds to ensure stability. By early October, the focus of the Minister’s statements expanded to broader regional security concerns. During an address at the National Defense University, Güler identified several priority areas, including security risks in the Black Sea, shifting balances in the Caucasus, and developments in the Middle East. He specifically highlighted the importance of protecting the rights and interests of Northern Cyprus and the Cyprus Turks in the Eastern Mediterranean, noting that policies of intimidation against them have persisted since the 1960s. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-07: Yaşar Güler addresses regional security and Cyprus interests Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler criticized ongoing intimidation policies against Cyprus Turks and identified Black Sea, Caucasus, and Eastern Mediterranean security as top national priorities. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/yaar-gler-addresses-regional-security-and-cyprus-interests ### 2026-09-23: Defense Minister Yaşar Güler emphasizes 'Terror-free Turkey' in Kars National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler visited Kars, emphasizing the 'Terror-free Turkey' goal and the importance of Turkish-Kurdish unity for regional peace and national security. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/yaar-gler-emphasizes-terror-free-turkey-goal-in-kars --- Cite as: Turkish national security and regional policy priorities. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-national-security-and-regional-policy-priorities