YouSaid · the spoken record

Ahmet Davutoğlu

lines on the record: 48
first: 2012-09-24
most recent: 2015-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“So, to add to Secretary-General Hammarskjöld’s vision of the United Nations as saving humankind, what now befalls this institution is the task of salvaging our shared future.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Seventy years ago, the founders of the Organization entrusted it with the task of protecting the dignity, security and prosperity of all humankind. That task today requires the ability to take firm and decisive action against atrocities committed everywhere by aggressors and oppressors. The inability to do so not only will jeopardize the lives of millions affected by ongoing crises, it will threaten all future generations by calling into question the credibility of the United Nations system. The responsibility to reach the broadest possible consensus on comprehensive reform to render the Security Council more democratic, representative, inclusive, transparent, effective and accountable falls upon us all. We owe it not only to future generations but to the visionary founders of the Organization.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“But most likely, our best intentions will not be sufficient to respond to the mounting challenges before us. We need a paradigm shift. The United Nations, as the ultimate global institution representing the vision of peace, must remain relevant and effective in coping with all the major challenges. Some of those challenges have already brought new tragedies upon us. Over the past 70 years, both the world and the United Nations have changed and evolved. However the change in the United Nations is not yet comprehensive enough to make it fully fit for purpose. Despite the major steps taken so far to adapt the Organization to the new global realities, any reform will remain incomplete unless it includes the Security Council.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“As I near the end of my remarks, I wish to draw the Assembly’s attention to our continuing commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting solution in Cyprus. It must be based on the political equality of the two peoples and their equal ownership of the island. We expect a lasting settlement to be reached as soon as possible. And we support the efficient and constructive efforts of the Turkish Cypriot side to that end. As the world population grows and is expected to reach 10 billion, the international community stands at the threshold of a critical period. Despite our many achievements, our need for a free, peaceful, stable, prosperous and just world continues. The road ahead for peace security and human rights will be paved with our good intentions.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We believe that today Europe needs Turkey more than ever to strengthen its security and prosperity. Expanding relations and cooperation with Africa has become an important pillar of Turkey’s multifaceted foreign policy, which puts special emphasis on humanitarian diplomacy. We will continue to share our experience and knowledge with our African partners and friends on the basis of mutual benefit and in accordance with the principle of African solutions to African challenges. In Asia, Turkey has been an integral part of the international efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. We firmly believe that the international community must continue its support to Afghanistan.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We are determined to continue our efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution to these conflicts on the basis of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the inviolability of its internationally recognized borders. The same applies to Georgia, where we support unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty. We welcome the recent steps towards normalization and permanent stability in the Balkans. We therefore appreciate the progress made so far in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. 15-29562 33/54 A/70/PV.19 30/09/2015 Turkey is a part of Europe, historically and currently. On the basis of shared universal values, it continues to work towards its strategic objective of becoming a member of the European Union.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It has attracted considerable interest and yielded tangible results in heightening awareness of the importance of the peaceful resolution of conflicts. We wish to see a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine based on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the principles of the Minsk agreements. Any solution to this conflict should also ensure the rights and security of the Crimean Tatars. In terms of peace, security and prosperity in our entire neighbourhood, the South Caucasus has a prominent place. That region, regrettably, continues to be destabilized and weakened by three major unresolved conflicts in the greater area of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We cannot condone the prioritization of oppressive security vis-à-vis universal rights and freedoms that we have collectively undersigned at the United Nations. Our differences may remain, yet our collective abilities to overcome the divides must be strengthened. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, a project initiated nearly 10 years ago jointly by Turkey and Spain, aims to provide lasting solutions in that respect. There are many ways to respond to unfounded fear, mistrust and hatred in societies and among nations. Conflict is one. But there is a peaceful means of preventing and resolving conflicts: mediation. Turkey, together with Finland, launched the Mediation for Peace initiative at the United Nations five years ago.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The current conflicts around the world demonstrate the spread of hatred, discrimination and extremism. These crises result in the segregation of people with specific ethnic or religious backgrounds, and they also hinder tolerance, coexistence and harmony among civilizations. We must avoid alienation, exclusion and the vilification of certain communities and religions if we want to bring down the walls that divide us. We must act together against all forms of racism and xenophobia, including Islamophobia, without exception. Only then can we collectively fight against extremism, radicalization and terrorism in an effective manner. We must encourage inclusiveness and democratic legitimacy, and must respect the people’s will and consent.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The great majority of today’s humanitarian crises are conflict-related. The global humanitarian system is running out of funds and affected people are running out of time. While Turkey hosts currently the largest number of refugees in the world, it also holds the Chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development. Our overarching theme is: “Strengthening Partnerships: Human Mobility for Sustainable Development”. Our key priorities include promoting the positive linkages between migration and development. It is high time that we addressed the complex humanitarian agenda in a holistic manner, with a special emphasis on the humanitarian-development nexus. We therefore look forward to hosting the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul from 23 to 24 May next year. Cultural divides will rob us of our future if we allow them to.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We see a clear link between sustainable economic development and global stability. One way to ensure this is through inclusive economic growth where no one in our societies, including women and the vulnerable, is left behind. Today, half of the world’s population lives on a daily income of under $2.50, and close to 20,000 children die every day of hunger and poverty. Turkey, as the current President of the Group of 20 (G-20) since December 2014, has highlighted the importance of international cooperation, coordination and solidarity in addressing global uncertainties and risks. We have placed inclusiveness and overcoming inequality at the top of the G-20 agenda. Our generation has witnessed the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons since the Second World War.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Enhancing international cooperation in terms of information exchange is crucial, but deficiencies in 32/54 15-29562 30/09/2015 A/70/PV.19 this regard unfortunately continue. For our part, we have included more than 20,000 individuals in our no-entry list since 2011 and have deported more than 2,000 who are intending to reach conflict regions beyond our borders or are returning from them. From Libya and Yemen to Ukraine, from South to North and from East to West, the global security environment is fragile. At a time of such volatility, particularly in our region, Turkey resolutely assumes responsibility in global issues, to the best of its abilities and within its means. Turkey has become a leading actor and a trustworthy partner with $3.5 billion dollars of official development assistance.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Daesh is a product of the vacuum created by the crisis in Syria. Fighting Daesh therefore means removing the conditions that created it. Hence, we will never succeed until Al-Assad goes. We dream of a new democratic multicultural Syria, both without Al-Assad and without Daesh. We expect our allies, partners and friends to continue to clearly and publicly display their support for and solidarity with Turkey in its fight against all types of terrorism. The issue of foreign terrorist fighters is of utmost concern. According to United Nations figures, 25,000 foreign terrorist fighters are believed to be coming from over 100 countries. This threat needs to be addressed at its source.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Turkey’s commitment to providing the necessary political and economic support for the Palestinians to lead a dignified life will continue. The current vacuum created on our southern borders as a result of the crisis in Syria has played into the hands of terrorists, who also target Turkey. This is a threat that has the potential to spread to the whole region and beyond. Terrorism has no justification. It should be condemned unconditionally. Any attempt to affiliate terrorism with any religion or ethnic group is patently misguided and serves only to strengthen the terrorist threat. Today, as in the past, Turkey is combating terrorism of all kinds, Daesh and the Kurdish Workers Party included. Our counter-terrorism efforts and our contribution to international cooperation to that end are well known to our partners.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The expansion of illegal settlements and the violations targeting the holy sites, Al-Haram Al-Sharif and the Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, must immediately and unconditionally stop, if we are to talk about a peace process. The holiness of Al-Haram Al-Sharif must be respected. We strongly reject and condemn attempts to establish a temporal and spatial division of Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which is in clear violation of international law. Members have just heard the statement of His Excellency President Abbas. For us too, Palestine is an indivisible whole, consisting of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. The right of Palestinians to live together as one must be recognized. As an integral part of the State of Palestine, Gaza should be freed from the illegal and inhumane blockade of the past eight years.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That constitutes another significant step towards enabling the parties to come together on an equal footing at the negotiating table in a process aimed at achieving an equitable and sustainable peace. The State of Palestine will be independent today or tomorrow, and East Jerusalem, Al-Quds Al-Sharif, will be its capital, As President Mahmoud Abbas just said, the Palestinian flag will be raised in Al-Quds Al-Sharif soon, and we will be there to celebrate that event together. All Muslims and Christians and all nations will freely gather there. The city of Al-Quds matters for the whole of humankind. It is a city that is sacred to Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and should be treated accordingly.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Our proposal was accepted by the General Assembly on 18 September. We will therefore have the chance to look at viable responses to the migrant tragedy in the form of partnerships between countries of origin, destination and transit. That is now a priority matter for all humankind. The people of Syria are not the only ones to suffer. The Palestinian tragedy continues unabated. In my address to this body on 29 November 2012 (see A/67/PV.44), I called on the international community to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians in their bid for their own independent State, for which they have been calling for more than 60 years. Today, we finally witness and salute the Palestinian flag flying at full mast at the United Nations alongside those of all other States.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“As the world must realize, a diplomatic solution to the crisis should be based on a transition that will lead to political change. Turkey will continue to work towards that end. People may no longer hear the voices of the 300,000 who have lost their lives so far. But last week I met with representatives of the thousands who dared to walk hundreds of miles to Edirne, Turkey, the last stop on their journey to their imagined land of hope in Europe. I promised to bring their voice to the world community. I have fulfilled my promise, yet our responsibility remains. Indeed, it was with that sense of responsibility that we proposed the inclusion of item 130, “Global awareness of the tragedies of irregular migrants in the Mediterranean basin with specific emphasis on Syrian asylum-seekers”, in the agenda of the seventieth session.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“And more than 12 million internally displaced persons, almost half of them children, are in desperate need of help. This tragedy will not end before the people of Syria have a legitimate Government that truly represents their will and enjoys their full consent. Until then, the international community must act swiftly to protect them in their homeland, including by creating a safe zone beyond the reach of aerial bombardment by the 15-29562 31/54 A/70/PV.19 30/09/2015 regime and ground assault by Daesh and other terrorist organizations. Anyone hoping to solve the Syrian crisis must think of a Syria without Assad, a vicious tyrant who indiscriminately kills his own people with chemical weapons and barrel bombs. Every minute he remains in power adds to the shame of those who support him.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Some 9 million medical consultations and 280,000 surgical operations have been provided to our Syrian refugee population. Currently, 230,000 school-age Syrian children are receiving a formal education and 460,000 more will be integrated into our education system by the end of the year. The number of would-be illegal migrants who have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea has reached a staggering 6,000.Meanwhile, 55,000 seaborne migrants have been rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard, while 235,000 illegal entrants have been intercepted by Turkish law enforcement agencies since 2011. More than 4 million Syrians have fled chemical weapons, missiles and indiscriminate aerial bombardment by the Assad regime and ground assaults by the terrorist organization Daesh.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We are all capable of both the best and the worst. This is a simple but powerful fact of our existence that can make us bring our best to the fore. We must join our efforts, no later than today, to effectively deal with the increasingly complex and tragic facts facing humanity. For its part, Turkey has assumed more than its fair share of the burden. Providing protection to more than 2 million Syrians and 200,000 Iraqis, Turkey now shelters the largest number of refugees in the world. Our doors will remain open. We embrace those fleeing war and persecution. So far, we have invested almost $8 billion, of which international contributions account for a mere $417 million. To date, 66,000 Syrian babies have been born in Turkey.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The tragic story of 3-year-old Aylan should serve as a reminder of what the United Nations should stand for. Just earlier this month, Aylan’s tiny, lifeless body washed ashore after the boat he was on capsized in the Aegean. His family was trying to escape the indiscriminate barrel bombs in his town somewhere in Syria, to an imagined land of hope anywhere in Europe. The Turkish policeman who found Aylan said that he felt not like an officer on duty, but like the little boy’s father, helplessly holding his beloved son. Indeed, Aylan was our baby; he belonged to each and every one of us and to all humankind. From the moment that we found him, washed ashore and lifeless, we were each plunged into the misery of our own conscience. We human beings are not merely blank pages in the book of history.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I bring warm greetings and hope that the seventieth session of the General Assembly will prove most fruitful. I would like to congratulate Mr. Mogen Lykketoft on his assumption of the presidency. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to Mr. Sam Kutesa for his time and efforts as President of the General Assembly at the sixty-ninth session. Seventy years ago, our Organization was created — in the words of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld — “not to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell”. Looking back, the United Nations has been instrumental in averting another and even deadlier world war. But it has failed to prevent people from suffering the pains of hell in many regional conflicts, including those of Bosnia, Rwanda and, over the past four years, Syria.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Every attempt to achieve our objective for real peace, every moment we spend to uphold rightness and justice and every effort we make for freedoms and human rights will provide greater comfort for those who struggle to have a say in their destiny. A while ago, I asked if not now, when? This year, let us make a difference and let us hope that we will not repeat the same question next September in the Assembly.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Security Council in particular has to facilitate a solution rather than merely sustaining the status quo. A change of mentality is essential. There should be a distinction between those who seek and aspire for a solution and those who reject it. It is no longer enough to pay lip service to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. It is time to act before it is too late. In conclusion, I wish to go back to what I said at the beginning of my remarks. We are at the end of the opening of yet another session of the General Assembly. We have all expressed our desire for and commitment to a more peaceful and prosperous world. However, positive change can only be realized if our actions match our words and promises.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Today, despite half a century’s experience and a body of United Nations work, there is still not a clear prospect for a solution. The Turkish Cypriots have so far proven their firm commitment to a negotiated solution, but remain subject to an inhumane and unlawful embargo. That is simply unfair. They should not be forced to play this game for an indefinite period without a clear perspective and timeline for a solution. The international community must not remain indifferent to what is happening in Cyprus, either. After all, the continuation of the problem creates additional risks for the stability of the region. Moreover, the unilateral exploration of oil and natural gas by the Greek Cypriots around the island further intensifies those risks. Under those circumstances, the United Nations must do more than what it is currently doing.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We do not have the luxury to turn a blind eye to any human suffering. As I personally witnessed during my visit in June, the people of the Rakhine region, especially the Rohingya Muslims, are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. The democratization process under way in Myanmar provides us with a window of opportunity, as the Government has repeatedly stressed its readiness to cooperate with the international community to ease the suffering of those people. Before concluding my remarks, I wish to touch upon yet another long-standing conflict that also requires immediate practical steps towards a fair and lasting solution. I am referring to the problem of Cyprus. Unfortunately, the new round of talks started in 2008 are at a stalemate, with no end in sight, due to Greek Cypriots’ intransigence and lack of political will.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“19) and declared the right of Palestine to be recognized as an independent State, I remember seeing the whole Assembly in a standing ovation. But as of this day we have yet to see the State of Palestine as an equal member of the General Assembly, with the f lag of the independent Palestine f lying. How can we convince the Palestinian people that the international community is serious about a two-State solution when no United Nations resolutions have helped their cause for an independent State of Palestine? However, we will one day see the f lag of Palestine in the Hall. Turkey will certainly support the Palestinian people in their quest for statehood, dignity and peace. While the whole world’s attention is rightly focused on the Middle East, we should not forget that there are serious human tragedies taking place elsewhere as well.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“As a result, in the fourth year of the unlawful blockade by Israel, the people in Gaza, children in particular, continue to live in despair, desolation and fear. Many decisions and resolutions have been adopted at the United Nations calling for the lifting of that unlawful blockade. However, Israel persists in its illegal policy to this day, thereby causing misery and anguish in Gaza. In fact, we see the same attitude by Israel in all of the occupied Palestinian territories. Despite insistent calls by the international community, it carries on with its illegal settlements in Palestine, and thus deliberately undermines the prospects of a peaceful two-State solution. Indeed, when President Mahmoud Abbas spoke in the Assembly last year (see A/66/PV.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Syrian people need our united support and solidarity in their struggle for their future and their right to a legitimate and representative Government. The Turkish nation stands by its brethren, the Syrian people, in their legitimate struggle. We now care for 90,000 displaced Syrian refugees in Turkish homes. Let me underline once again that, since the beginning of the conflict, we have never hesitated, nor will we ever, hesitate to be at the side of our Syrian brothers and sisters in their most difficult hour. Another tragedy that has long been taking place before our eyes in the Middle East is that of Palestine. This is the fourth General Assembly session where we continue to stress the unacceptability and unsustainability of the situation in Gaza. However, to date, there has been no progress.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Syrian regime deploys every possible instrument to turn the legitimate struggle of the Syrian people into a sectarian war, which will engulf the entire region in flames. Unfortunately, the longer the regime is allowed to wage its campaign of violence, the harder it will be to prevent such a dreadful eventuality. It is high time that the Security Council take action, as the Assembly called for. There has to be a solution to ensure the immediate safety and security of the Syrian people. There has to be a solution for a sound transition process that paves the way for the creation of a new and democratic Syria. The regime in power has to step down and allow an interim Government to lead the country to free and fair elections.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“If the Security Council does not follow the conscience of the international community, as reflected by the resolutions adopted by a more than two-thirds majority of the General Assembly, who will respond to the cries of the Syrian people? For how long will we, the international community, allow this humanitarian tragedy to continue? The responsibility to protect the people of Syria is our fundamental duty. No political differences, no balance of power politics and no geopolitical considerations should prevail over our conscience and our concern for the destiny of the Syrian people. More important, the situation in Syria has evolved into a real threat to regional peace and security.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is a great disgrace to witness that today, after 20 years, the ghosts of Srebrenica and Halabja continue to haunt us, this time in the cities of Syria. One can argue about the reasons for the failure of the Security Council to stop the violence of the Syrian regime. However, there can be no legitimate explanation for the failure of the Security Council to reflect the collective conscience of the international community. It has to uphold its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security. It is the inability of the Council to act that continues to encourage the Syrian regime to kill ever more people.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We encourage the United Nations to focus on a new understanding of, and international instrument for, the protection of diplomats. As a mockery of the values we all share, the people of Syria have continued to suffer under the brutality and tyranny of the regime in Damascus for the past 18 months. The numbers speak volumes. More than 30,000 people have been killed so far, approximately 300,000 Syrian refugees have f led to neighboring countries, including Turkey, and more than 1 million people are internally displaced. Unfortunately, this humanitarian tragedy has become just a statistic for many. What has the international community done to stop this carnage? Literally nothing. We have yet to see a single effective action to save innocent lives.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Therefore, from this rostrum, I would like to make a strong appeal to the members of the international community to set up all the necessary instruments to combat all hate crimes, including the denigration of religions and defamation of their followers. The United Nations must lead that effort and should provide the international legal framework to that end. We are resolved to actively pursue this objective and to work diligently with like-minded nations and international organizations to ensure that we take a united and effective stance against Islamophobia and all forms of hate. Moreover, we are well aware of the need to ensure the safety, security and protection of diplomats. In the past four decade, the Turkish nation has lost 33 diplomats to terrorist acts by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The time has therefore come to establish the denigration of any religion and its followers as a hate crime. We have to take swift measures. We cannot, and we shall not, leave our future vulnerable to the reckless provocations of all sorts of extremists. We need to craft a universal policy and a legal instrument that, while protecting free expression, also ensure respect for religion and prevent intentional insults against anyone’s faith. The solution should not be arbitrary. It has to focus on those who defame a faith with the intention of inciting discrimination, hostility or violence. We have to find a balance between protecting the rights of an individual or group to free expression and protecting the right of another individual or group not to become the target of hatred or of emotional, incited or psychological violence.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“At the same time, we condemn all the provocations and violence that have led to the loss of lives in many countries, including the death of the United States Ambassador in Libya. I express our sincere condolences for all who have lost their lives. Violence against innocent people cannot be justified under any pretext. Any such activity, no matter whom it is carried out by or for what purpose, is a betrayal against the soul, spirit and letter of Islam. However, the recent events are testament to a more serious problem that should concern not just Muslims, but the adherents of all faiths and religions. The alarming increase in the number of acts that defame religions, and thereby people who adhere to them, now have serious implications for international peace and security.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We condemn any type of incitement to hatred and religious discrimination against Muslims and people of other faiths. Unfortunately, Islamophobia has become a new form of racism. It can no longer be tolerated under the guise of freedom of expression. Freedom does not mean anarchy. It means responsibility. The purpose of Islamophobia is clear and simple. It aims to create an abstract and imaginary enemy out of the millions of peace-loving Muslims all over the world. Regretfully, accepting generalities, stereotypes and prejudice as truth, many people unknowingly become Islamophobic. However, no agenda, no provocation, no attack and no incitement to hatred can darken the bright face of Islam.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I can freely appeal to the Assembly’s conscience, as Turkey has a solid record — be it in Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Libya or Bosnia and Herzegovina or when it comes to cooperation with least developed countries, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Mediation for Peace initiative, among other examples. Allow me now to brief ly touch upon some specific issues that continue to pose formidable challenges for the international community. Let me start by underlining that the recent attacks against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad — peace be upon him — and Islam are outright provocations. They aim to pit nations and peoples against each other. We deplore in the strongest terms the malicious attempts to denigrate the most sacred values of Islam or any other faith.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“How can we even dream about a real future? We need a strong, efficient and credible United Nations. To that end, we must first tackle the long- outstanding issue of reforming the United Nations to make it fit for its purpose. The working methods and structures of the United Nations are not commensurate with the current realities of the world. The Security Council, with its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security, should become more representative, functional and effective. It has to respond to the real needs of the world. That is the only way that it will remain relevant to the enormous challenges that we all face in the twenty-first century.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Let us not forget: our inability to act becomes a tool in the hands of despots and destructive regimes to demolish cities, towns and villages, massacre their own citizens and make a mockery of the civilized world and the United Nations. The failure to address humanitarian crises shakes our collective conscience. Worse, however, inaction eventually emboldens oppressors and aggressive regimes and creates evil alliances that perpetuate and commit crimes against humanity. Let us make no mistake: mercy shown to an oppressor is the most merciless act towards people under oppression. If not now, when are we supposed to act in unity? If not the United Nations, who is to lead? If not us, then who will shoulder the responsibility to protect innocent civilians? Let us now imagine that we are in the shoes of those people.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“If the use of force is accepted as unlimited; if indiscriminate attacks and collective punishment become weapons in the hands of cruel regimes against their own citizens, as we are currently witnessing every day, day and night, in Syria; if we fail to hear and rise to join the cry of the innocent masses, wherever they are; and if we cannot force such brutal regimes to submit to justice and the rule of law, how are we to maintain international peace and security? A peaceful world, as the founders of the United Nations envisioned, cannot be established if we remain ineffective in our work against those challenges.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“If fundamental human rights are sacrificed for the sake of power politics and become negotiable in talks among a few nations in the Security Council, how are we to achieve universal human rights and security? If we remain incapable of taking action to preserve the universal principles that the forefathers of the United Nations set out when forming this body, how can we demonstrate to people that the f lag of the United Nations represents hope for, and a safeguard of, their destiny?”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“If it is not for us to provide relief and give hope to a child living in a refugee camp or in open prisons in certain parts of the world, then what is the chance that we will cultivate real peace? When a child opens his eyes to a world of extreme poverty and oppression in a refugee camp or in the streets of his neighbourhood, or when a parent leaves behind a destroyed house, orphans and widows, how can we prevent them from succumbing to despair and pessimism? If we cannot regard the rights of a person in Syria, Palestine, Somalia, Afghanistan, the Rakhine region or other places as equal to our own, how can we talk about freedom and justice?”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“However, millions of people live in poverty and under oppression. They are deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms, suffering under extreme conditions that no human being should ever have to live under. To soothe our collective conscience, we constantly reiterate our pledges to help alleviate the misery of those people. However, we fall short of matching our words with deeds. We live in perpetual hope. After all, as human beings, we are the children of hope. For us, every dawn, every sunrise and every spring signifies a new beginning of hope. We yearn for peace and idealize peace. It is the essence of our nature. Humankind expects from us, the leaders of nations, to move humankind towards real peace. However, we lag far behind in meeting the expectations of our nations and of humankind.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“However, Turkish Cypriots continue to face isolation and an unlawful and unjust embargo as if it were a token of appreciation for their support for the United Nations-led settlement. My point speaks for itself. We cannot resolve current problems, and each year we find ourselves besieged by ever-increasing new ones. Terrorists continue to strike and take the lives of innocent people, yet we still have no effective international response to, or adequate solidarity against, the scourge of terrorism. Today, some States employ methods of State violence and brutal oppression with impunity, which costs the lives of innocent citizens whom they are obliged to protect. We firmly believe that human life is sacred and that life is the foremost blessing for any human being, whoever and wherever they are.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“For instance, we have time and again declared our support for a two-State solution to the question of Palestine and adopted numerous resolutions to that end. However, we still hope that, one day soon, Palestine will be represented as an equal member in the Assembly. We also underline the need for a solution to the Nagorno Karabakh issue in accordance with the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Yet there has not been a single step towards the resolution of that problem for the past two decades. In addition, the problem of Cyprus has remained unresolved for almost half a century. Nearly a decade has passed since the United Nations settlement plan of 2004, which the entire international community endorsed.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“At the outset, I would like to congratulate my dear friend His Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election as the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I believe that, with his able leadership, he will contribute greatly to the work of the Assembly. I want to be frank and speak the language of the peoples we all represent. Every year, we all gather here at the United Nations, the embodiment of the human quest for peace, security and international order. We exchange views on the daunting challenges that we all face and express our strong commitment to resolving them. On many matters, we speak as one, yet we often fail to act in unity. We express our commitment to the settlement of frozen conflicts, but there is still no prospect for a solution to many such conflicts.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)