YouSaid · the spoken record

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

lines on the record: 298
first: 2007-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 12
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

“Quite recently, we signed an agreement with Russia, the Sochi Agreement, through which we have prevented the regime’s bloody assaults against the de-escalation zones in Idlib province, where 3.5 million civilians live. It is our belief that, by preventing a repetition of the massacres previously carried out in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Dar’a and eastern Ghouta, Turkey has cleared the way for peace and a political solution in the country, especially in the Idlib. Our goal is to clear the Syrian territory of the presence of terrorists, all the way from Manbij to the Iraqi border. I hereby call upon all the parties to support a just and sustainable political solution in Syria through a constructive approach. We wish to see a principled approach taken against all terrorist organizations.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We have also adopted an active stance in response to the developments taking place in Syria, which has now become a place where the majority of the countries in the world export the radical groups residing within their borders. By means of both our support to the Geneva and Astana processes and the de-escalation zones that have been established, we continue to try to bring peace and stability to Syria, and we are trying to make Syria a peaceful country once again. By clearing the Jarablus and Al-Rai regions of the presence of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham and the Afrin region from the presence of the Kurdistan Workers Party, the Democratic Union Party and the People’s Protection Units — terrorist organizations all — we have turned an area of more than 4,000 square kilometres into a safe and peaceful place for millions of Syrians.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In helping Somalia, which is struggling with hunger, get back on its feet, we are currently implementing a development programme that I believe will be a model for the rest of the world. And to help millions of innocent people in Arakan, which is miles away from our country, we have mobilized all our means and all our capabilities. We have exerted sincere efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis. In Iraq, we are encouraging all parties to make efforts to secure the future of the country. In terms of racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia, we strive to prevent negativity from emerging in various parts of the world, especially in Europe.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“As noted in the appeal by the General Assembly this year, our world needs global leadership and joint responsibility more than ever for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies. Turkey has made substantial efforts in that direction within the United Nations. The Mediation for Peace initiative, which we launched together with Finland in 2010, is now supported by the Group of Friends of Mediation, which consists of 56 Member States. We have also taken serious steps forward in that regard within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, over which we currently preside. The Alliance of Civilizations initiative, which we launched with Spain, has become a United Nations initiative with the participation of 146 Member States.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We expect more generous and flexible support to be provided to Turkey, especially by the EU, because we have prevented a large refugee influx to spill over into other parts of the world, in particular to Europe, thanks to the opportunities we have made available to refugees. Furthermore, we are providing significant humanitarian development aid in all parts of the world, not just to refugees within or near our borders. As of this year, Turkey ranks sixth in the world in terms of total development aid and first in humanitarian assistance. Turkey ranks among the top donors in terms of development and humanitarian aid, as we are the seventeenth largest economy in the world. Our commitment is a strong expression of the degree of significance we attach to humanitarian aid and helping those in need.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The number of Syrian students attending school in Turkey is well above 600,000. Refugees in our country have access to all health-care services free of charge, just like any other Turkish citizen. In addition, we attend to all the needs of refugees in Turkish protection centres. However, so far, we have received only $600 million from international organizations and only €1.7 billion from the European Union (EU). Those funds are not going directly into the Turkish budget, but rather are being directly transferred to the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working for the refugees. The European Union previously pledged €3 billion to be allocated to Turkey, but that is now contingent upon the undertaking of specific projects. We continue providing our services to refugees every day without any preconditions or interruptions whatsoever.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“If we want to make the United Nations a source of justice instead of cruelty, we have to dedicate ourselves more fully to the tasks bestowed upon us. Turkey is sustaining its efforts aimed at achieving a fairer world through its global humanitarian diplomacy. We are currently hosting 4 million refugees inside our borders, 3.5 million of whom came from Syria. On a global scale, this is unprecedented. Those refugees have access to all forms of services that one could ever need. So far, the Republic of Turkey has spent about $32 billion for the care of refugees. Furthermore, in cities such as Jarablus, Al-Rai and Afrin in Syria, which we previously secured, we have provided humanitarian aid to millions of people in need just as has been done in the de-escalation zones that were recently declared in the city of Idlib.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The famous Islamic philosopher Rumi, who began shining a beacon from the city of Konya, in the heartland of Anatolia, in order to enlighten all souls across the world, once said that justice means restoring things to their proper place — that is. giving someone what he or she needs or desires. Let us establish a global administration system that will serve as a shield to protect the oppressed, the victimized, lending a helping hand to the hungry and the unsheltered, and thereby bringing hope to future generations. Everything said from this rostrum, all the analyses and proposals that we come up with, will make sense only if we can put them into action. Again, according to the philosopher Rumi, an oppressor is someone who does not fulfil their duties vis-à-vis humankind.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Today, when the assets of the wealthiest 62 people in the world amount to the assets of half of world’s population of 3.6 billion people, it means there is a significant problem that we need to do something about. Every night 821 million people go to bed hungry; at the same time more than 672 million have been diagnosed with obesity. There is a problem with that. There are 258 million people across the world hitting the road in search for better conditions to live and survive. And there are 68 million displaced people around the world, which points to yet another outstanding problem that we need to do something about. There is a problem when the likelihood of early child mortality of a baby born in Africa is nine times greater than that of a baby born here.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In our civilization we refer to a phenomenon known as the “circle of justice,” which is based on a correct establishment and management of relations between the society, the law, the State, the power of the State, the economy and justice. The links of that circle are intertwined; however, those links are shattered regardless of where you go in the world today. That is why our world today is entrapped by political, social and economic instability and is constantly suffering. To enable a peaceful and secure future for all, we have a duty to succeed in humankind’s struggle, starting with the search for justice and ending with the establishment of justice.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Limiting the reform of the United Nations to the budget will neither contribute to the settlement of real problems nor make anybody happy or content. There is a need to increase the efficiency of the Organization, which I deem to be very important for the future of the world. That includes in the fundamental areas of social equality, development and security. We need to undertake many reforms. When Turkey looks at the world — beginning with our own geography — we see that there are many important tasks to be undertaken by the United Nations. In our understanding, justice is above all, and it will bring order, salvation and happiness to the entire world.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Therefore, on every occasion, we underline that there needs to be a comprehensive reform in the structure and functioning of the United Nations, particularly of the Security Council. We believe that when we say “the world is greater than five” we are becoming the voice of the common conscience of the entire human race. The world is not the world of the times of the Second World War, nor of its aftermath. We have representatives from 194 countries under this roof. Why cannot 194 countries be represented at the Security Council? Why should they not, in a rotational manner, have their permanent seats in the Security Council? We have only five permanent seat-holders at the Security Council, and the remainder are just temporary with no power whatsoever.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Those who remain silent in the face of the oppression of the Palestinians, those who have reduced humanitarian assistance for them, are only increasing the courage of the oppressors. Even if the whole world turns its back, Turkey will continue to be on the side of the oppressed Palestinians and will protect the historical and legal status of our first qibla, which is Jerusalem. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, every day we confront scenes of ethnic cleansing and mass slaughter that none of us would wish to see. Likewise, from health to education, from food to culture, there is a high level of dissatisfaction in terms of the sum of the work undertaken by this huge Organization. We do not wish to see such an important structure turn into an organization with a constant reputation for failure and complaints.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Undoubtedly, the United Nations, over its 73 years of history, has carried out enormous endeavours and achieved great successes. However, we also need to admit the fact that over time the capacity of the United Nations to meet the expectations of humankind for peace and welfare has diminished. In particular, the Security Council has taken to serving only the interests of its five permanent seat- holders, which have veto rights, while standing by idly in the face of oppression in other parts of the world. The massacres in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda and Somalia, and recently in Myanmar and occurring in Palestine as we speak, have all taken place before the eyes of the Security Council.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“I have the honour to greet you personally, Madam President, on behalf of my country and my people. At the outset, I would like to thank His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák for his successful work over the past year as the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. I would also like to congratulate Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, who has taken over the presidency of the General Assembly. I hope and pray that this year’s General Assembly session will avail us of an opportunity to bring the best to all people of the world. We are holding this meeting on the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. The League of Nations, which was founded after the war, was immediately replaced by the United Nations in the aftermath of the Second World War.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“I urge the Assembly take action immediately to stop the tears flowing in different parts of the world. I hope that the work of the seventy- second session of the General Assembly will contribute to our efforts to that end. With those thoughts, I salute with amity and respect all countries and peoples represented under this roof, at this joint parliament of humankind. On my own behalf, and on behalf of my country, I extend my greetings to the Assembly. God bless the Assembly.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We want the Security Council to have a democratic, transparent, fair and effective structure. We propose that the Security Council consist of 20 members with the same rights and competencies — each member serving for two years and half replaced every year. In that way, all countries would have a say in that important organ when it was their turn. It is imperative that we transform the United Nations, because the world is changing. We are living in a different world than the one where the United Nations was established after the Second World War. We must talk about a United Nations administered by representatives of the entire world as the embodiment of humankind’s common conscience. Before I conclude my remarks, let me remind the Assembly that, regardless of the colour of our faces and eyes, our tears are the same.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“If Western countries do not prevent tendencies such as xenophobia, racism and animosity against Islam, if the countries in the crisis-ridden regions of the world do not demonstrate decisive will to fight terrorist organizations and poverty, and if all of us do not cooperate with one another on all of those fronts, then how can we possibly reach our ideals of peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet? We support the work done to that end by the Secretary-General, with whom we cooperated closely during his tenure as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. It is in nobody’s interest to insist on the continuation of this distorted system, which no longer has the capacity to take concrete steps towards the good of humankind under its current form.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“All these developments and humanitarian tragedies confirm the relevance of our appeal for the restructuring of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, as symbolized by our motto, “The world is bigger than five”. Gathered here under this roof, we must understand that it is high time to reform the Security Council. Under this roof, we represent the entire world, but if we cannot display the will to prevent murders carried out by terrorist organizations or prevent humanitarian crises, then everyone will find ways to help themselves. If that understanding prevails, then our world will be dragged into a new maelstorm of chaos and cruelty.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency, the Turkish official aid organization, is also in the region; it is the only organization carrying out assistance activities. Furthermore, the Turkish Red Crescent and other non-governmental organizations are continuing to deliver humanitarian aid to the Rakhine Muslims in Myanmar. If the countries concerned provide the necessary means, we would like to continue our assistance activities in a more comprehensive way. I discussed these issues with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency António Guterres, and we are now preparing to take further steps.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Recently, on the occasion of a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), we held a special session on that issue in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, with the participating countries. My wife, my son and our Ministers who visited the camps in Bangladesh immediately after the latest crisis personally witnessed the humanitarian plight of the people there. Clothing, food and other humanitarian aid was provided, and we are now looking at the second phase of such aid. We will be holding a meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Rohingya Muslims here at the United Nations this afternoon. As I mentioned, my wife, my son, our Ministers and some Turkish non-governmental organizations visited the area.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The camps in Bangladesh to which the people migrating from the region are being diverted are not in a position to meet even their minimum humanitarian needs. As is the case in Syria, the international community has not given a good account of itself regarding the humanitarian plight of the Rohingya Muslims. If the tragedy in Myanmar is not stopped, the history of humankind will be marred by yet another dark stain. What is most important is to ensure that the Rohingya people who have taken refuge outside their country, especially in Bangladesh, are able to live in safety and peace and in conditions of well-being on their own lands, where they have lived for centuries. Turkey is endeavouring to help resolve this crisis as well.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We will do our best to ensure that the natural resources discovered in the eastern Mediterranean in recent years serve to further the peace, stability and welfare of the region. We are ready to consider proposals for a solution that respects the rights of Turkish Cypriots. Our world, already struggling with all of these global and regional problems, was shocked once again by the sad news that we received from Myanmar a few weeks ago. The Muslim community in the Rakhine region of Myanmar is being subjected to what almost amounts to ethnic cleansing, with provocative terrorist acts used as a pretext. The villages of the Rohingya Muslims, who have already been living in extreme poverty and misery, deprived of their citizenship rights, are being burned as hundreds of thousands of people are forced to migrate from the region and the country.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Therefore, we need to work harder towards the resolution of the conflicts in Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We should never forget that each crisis we ignore today has the potential to spark a regional or even global crisis tomorrow. In this context, I would also like to underline that we are against nuclear weapons of all kinds, which have increasingly come to occupy the world agenda in recent days. It is clear that we cannot overcome these problems unless we completely free the world of the scourge of nuclear weapons. We are also saddened by the fact that the comprehensive negotiation process begun in 2008 has ended owing to the incomprehensible stance of the Greek Cypriots.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In this context, I call on the international community to support our Palestinian brothers and sisters in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza in their struggle for an independent and geographically unified Palestinian State. Despite the current absence of conflict there, the Balkans is another geographical location of potential crisis that still faces serious challenges. For this reason, we attach great importance to the integration of the Balkan countries into the Euro-Atlantic institutions. Turkey will continue to do its part to ensure that peace, stability and well-being prevail in this exceptional part of the world. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Georgia is the key to regional stability in the southern Caucasus.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We also hope that Saudi Arabia, which we see as the elder brother of the Gulf region, will show a sincere will to resolve this issue. Another important problem is the issue of Palestine, which we consider to be the gaping wound of the world, and, by extension, the preservation of the historical status of Jerusalem and Al-Haram Al-Sharif, that is, the Temple Mount. The crisis in Al-Haram Al-Sharif in July demonstrated the sensitivity of the issue. The continuation of the peace process can be possible only on the condition that Israel immediately stop its illegal settlement activities and take steps towards a two- State solution.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The international community’s support for the legitimate Government of Libya will contribute significantly to the stability of the country. It should be kept in mind that if the mistakes made in Syria and Iraq were to be repeated in Libya, that would expose the entire world, particularly Europe, to much greater threats. Another issue on which Turkey places special emphasis is the immediate resolution of the conflict that has erupted in the Gulf region. We believe that the sanctions that are negatively affecting the living conditions of the Qatari people should be lifted forthwith. We support the mediation efforts of the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to resolve the crisis. Our hope is that these efforts will yield positive results.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Steps such as demands for independence that can cause fresh crises and conflicts in the region must be avoided. We hereby call on the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government to abort the initiative that it has launched in that direction. Ignoring the clear and determined stance of Turkey on this issue could lead to a process that would deprive the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government of even the opportunities they currently enjoy. We all should work on building tranquillity, peace, security and stability in the region instead of sparking new conflicts. In addition to Syria and Iraq, we are also closely following regions in Libya and in Yemen where terrorist organizations are trying to establish their influence.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I must highlight the following fact before the Assembly. Most of the groups and forces claiming to be fighting Da’esh in the region in fact have no such goal. These groups and forces are using Da’esh as a pretext to realize their own agendas. The efforts of the Partiya Yekitiya Demokrat- People’s Protection Units to change the demographic structure of the regions it has captured, to seize the property of the people and to kill or exile those who stand against it constitute a crime against humanity. If the fight against Da’esh is not waged on a legitimate basis, the world will certainly face the threat of new, Da’esh-like entities. Similar approaches exist in Iraq as well. Iraq also requires that compromises be reached on the basis of territorial integrity and the realization of the ideal of building a common future.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Turkey is engaged in an intense fight against the bloody terrorist organizations of the region, such as Da’esh and the Kurdish Workers’ Party, which are nourished by the instability in Syria and Iraq. In addition, our fight against the Fethullah Terrorist Organization, which attempted to change the legitimate and democratic regime of Turkey by a bloody coup, is also ongoing. We have recovered 243 residential areas and a tract of land larger than 2,000 kilometres thanks to Operation Euphrates Shield, initiated in Syria following the attacks by Da’esh on our borders. We neutralized almost 3,000 Da’esh militants during that operation. Around 100,000 Syrians returned to and resettled in the region we cleared of terrorists. Operation Euphrates Shield is the single greatest accomplishment against Da’esh since its occupation of the region.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“According to confirmed statistics of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with $6 billion in humanitarian and development aid in 2016, Turkey ranked as the world’s second-largest donor and top contributor in terms of gross national product. Yet, Turkey is the seventeenth-largest economy in the world. Having spent 0.8 per cent of its national income on humanitarian assistance, Turkey is one of the six countries that could meet the United Nations target. Therefore, Turkey is working diligently to achieve a sustainable world, which is the theme of this session of the General Assembly. We will continue in the coming days with the same consideration in mind.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Not only do we welcome those who come to our country, but through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, the Turkish Disaster and Management Authority and the Turkish Red Crescent and various civil-society organizations we rush to the help of all who are suffering and under oppression, regardless of which part of the world they may be in. For example, through its official institutions and civil- society organizations, Turkey has spent $1 billion for the reconstruction of Somalia so far. The work we carry out and the results we have achieved in Somalia could indeed provide an example for similar efforts.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The total assistance from the international community through the United Nations remains around $520 million. I should point out that no share of the assistance intended for the Syrians goes into our own budget; it is all delivered to those in need by the relief agencies through the relevant institutions of the United Nations. Before the whole world, I hereby call on the countries and international organizations that have placed the entire burden of the 3.2 million people on Turkey’s shoulders to fulfil the promises they made. In fact, Turkey is a country that carries out humanitarian aid and development assistance activities around the world.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have taken and will continue to take all kinds of measures for those who came to our country with the outbreak of the Syrian crisis and to stem the influx of refugees into Europe. We meet all the needs of these people, from shelter to food and clothing and from health care to education, at standards that are appreciated by all those who visit our country. However, I would like to underscore that we have not received sufficient support from the international community, especially from the European Union, for our efforts. The expenditures of our public institutions, civil-society organizations and our people in order to meet the needs of those living in the camps and cities in Turkey have exceeded $30 billion. In response, the European Union has sent only €820 million out of the €3 billion + €3 billion that it promised.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are currently hosting more than 3 million Syrians and over 200,000 Iraqis in our country. Together with Russia and Iran, we have launched the Astana meetings, with the participation of all parties to the conflict, in order to establish a permanent ceasefire and peace in the country. Following our initiatives, the Geneva process, which has long been blocked, has been revived. We are putting into practice a new plan to ensure the security of the Idlib region in Syria within the framework of the agreement reached in Astana. Turkey would support any step towards the construction of a stable and prosperous Syria, based on the territorial integrity of the country and on respect for the democratic demands of its people.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In Syria, an entire civilization is being annihilated, together with civilians and innocent children. Terrorism, which is destroying the country and is fuelled by instability and oppression, is spreading like a cancer across borders. The Syrian people who took action demanding democracy, freedom, justice and a bright future were, unfortunately, abandoned by the international community. Turkey cannot remain indifferent to the tragedy of these people, whom we see as our brothers and sisters regardless of their origin or creed and to whom we are connected by deep historical ties. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in the spring of 2011, we have exerted all kinds of humanitarian and political efforts to solve the problem and we will continue to do so.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Terrorists, who are fuelled by an environment of conflict, continue their acts, spreading terror across different regions. We are anxiously observing the violent actions of radical currents converging on xenophobia, cultural racism and animosity against Islam. The most effective way of reversing this negative outlook would be to engage in sincere cooperation in the Hall. We need to develop a new perspective to promote world peace. No crisis or threat can possibly be resolved by allowing it to play out on its own. We all have to shoulder responsibility for a safer and more prosperous world. It is in that understanding that Turkey is pursuing an enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy. The Syrian conflict has entered its seventh year. This conflict has created deep wounds in the country, the region and throughout the world.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I greet the General Assembly with respect on behalf of myself and my country. I would like to thank Mr. Peter Thomson for his successful work over the past year as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session. I would also like to congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, who has assumed the presidency of the General Assembly. I hope that this year’s session of the General Assembly, which has been convened under the theme “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”, will bring well- being to all of the world’s peoples. Unfortunately, global peace and stability have regressed further since our meeting in the Hall last year. We continue to see the ugly face of terror and war in different corners of the world.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“As I have previously mentioned, the 0.54 per cent of our gross domestic product, which is the ratio of humanitarian aid that we provide, is beyond the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average and helps us approach the United Nations target, which is 0.7 per cent. Turkey has surpassed its commitment to provide $200 million annually to LDCs in 2011, and has delivered more than $1.5 billion to LDCs in a mere five-year period. Before concluding my remarks, I hope and pray that the seventy-first session of the General Assembly will be the beginning of a new age to alleviate the pain and suffering of people around the world, and that it will help us change our world.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“About a decade ago, along with the then Prime Minister of Spain, we co-chaired the initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations project that aimed to find permanent solutions to such dangerous movements that threaten our prosperity around the world. Similarly, we are also glad that interest in the Mediation for Peace Initiative that we pioneered along with Finland in 2010 under the auspices of the United Nations has increased. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we have jointly developed, includes ambitious and transformative goals for us all. Official development assistance makes up the most important resource for supporting development efforts, notably for the least developed countries (LDCs). Turkey’s official development assistance reached $3.9 billion in 2015.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The representative nature of the Security Council should be established so that the organ will be much more effective, more just. In order for that to be possible, the General Assembly has to reach complete consensus. Please do not even consider remaining silent, or else we cannot achieve anything. We cannot succeed in our policies. We have to engage in spying, so to say. We have to be strong. We have to stand on our two feet, and talk about the truth and nothing but the truth. We have to stand behind the truth. We are the politicians. Only in that way can the world attain the level of justice that it yearns for. This is the only way to achieve democracy. Islamophobia is an alternate name for racism and discrimination. We see it prevailing in countries with a large Muslim population.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“That is not a proper Security Council. A Council that does not represent the entire world can never serve to re-establish peace and justice around the world. That is something that we need to revisit over and over again. Can everyone think about that — three European countries, one country in Asia and one country, the United States of America, of course — five countries as the permanent seat-holders? What about the rest of the world? What about the other countries around the world? They have remained on the sidelines. We ignore them. Instead, why not have 20 countries as permanent seat-holders in the Security Council, under a rotational system? In that system, each country would, deservedly, be represented on the Security Council every year or every two years. That is the only way to establish fairness and justice.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Furthermore, it is obvious that, unless the Security Council, as the main organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, is reformed, such efforts will be in vain and the task will remain unfulfilled. That is why we say that the world is greater than the five permanent members. We have been reminding the international community of that fact over and over again with every chance we get. The Security Council was established in the aftermath of the Second World War. One cannot preserve the same structure of the Council under the circumstances of modern times. One cannot condemn the fate of the rest of the world to depend on what the five permanent members in the Security Council say. There are five permanent seat-holders and 10 non-permanent seat-holders in the Security Council.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Based on the goal of preventing deaths in the Aegean Sea, we have succeeded in reducing the irregular migration number to 50 people per day; whereas, in October 2015, that number had reached 7,000 per day. That shows that Turkey has successfully fulfilled its commitments under the framework of the refugee agreement with the EU. However, we regret that the promises made by the EU in the context of the agreement of 18 March have been forgotten, while ongoing false pretexts prevail and excuses are all that we hear. The Security Council must be reformed to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We fully appreciate Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s progress in that respect.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“With respect to providing support to the least developed countries around the world, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States rank among the top three donors. But in the ratio comparing the amount of humanitarian aid to gross domestic product, Turkey is ranked number one in the world. We are the country housing the most significant number of refugees around the world, and we are doing everything within our ability to stop irregular migration. Upon Turkey’s initiative, the subject of Syrian refugees was addressed by the General Assembly last year for the first time. Similarly, migration and terrorism were incorporated into the Group of 20 agenda, thanks to Turkey’s efforts. We are cooperating with the European Union on the refugee crisis to the greatest extent possible.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Israel, especially, should respect the sanctity of the Temple Mount and put an end to violations of its status. We will try to benefit from our normalized relations with Israel to facilitate the peace process and resolve the economic and humanitarian challenges faced by our Palestinian brothers and sisters through every possible effort. In that vein, we will continue our efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip. That brings me to a very important point. The World Humanitarian Summit was held in May, in Turkey, for the first time in history. We consider that Summit to have provided an important opportunity to explore new ways of more effective crisis intervention around the world. In that connection, I would like to be clear in my remarks.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In Iraq it is clear that it will not be easy to establish a political system to effectively protect its ethnic and sectarian diversity, which makes up the greatest underlying strength of the country. Within that context, the Mosul operation should be conducted by taking into consideration the sensitivities of the people of the region. Otherwise, a new humanitarian crisis will emerge, leading to the influx of yet another 1 million people seeking refuge in other countries. We cannot leave the Iraqi people alone at this critical juncture, when they need the support of the international community now more than ever. Allowing the Palestinian people to live in an independent Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-State solution, is an obligation of the international community to Palestinian children, if nothing else.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We must maintain a firm stand so as to ensure that a no-fly zone will be established for the protection and security of the region’s inhabitants. It is unfortunate that the ceasefire, a process that has received enormous investment, has failed. As is clear, a ceasefire is no longer possible. Yesterday, a United Nations convoy was attacked by the regime’s forces, resulting in the death of one person and many others injured. The Syrian regime has not allowed aid deliveries supervised by the United Nations to reach the people of Aleppo, who are in dire need. They are also attacking United Nations convoys. The regime is condemning people to famine and suffering, in order to encourage them to surrender or to die. The United Nations and the Security Council should no longer tolerate the regime’s policies.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The operation we are conducting today has the eventual goal of protecting that safe zone and ensuring that it is in fact safe. The people of Jarabulus were saved from the grip of the terrorists and are confident in returning to their homes. The electrical and water infrastructure will be made operational immediately. The Turkish Red Crescent, Turkish humanitarian aid organizations and all of the other non-governmental organizations have mobilized to meet the needs of the local inhabitants. All of the civil facilities needed by the local inhabitants will be constructed in the near future. In order to make that possible, the areas officially designated as safe zones should also be declared as no-fly zones.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“However, on 24 August, in the city of Gaziantep, next to the Syrian border, a wedding party was attacked by a 14-year-old suicide bomber, a boy sent there by Da’esh terrorists. The blast killed 56 people and injured more than 100. We were patient until that critical moment. That was the precise time when we said, enough is enough. Along with the moderate opposition, we initiated the offensive. Primarily in Jarabulus, we have eliminated Da’esh and extended operations all the way to Al-Rai, where Da’esh was repelled. The local inhabitants of Jarabulus were resettled, as were those from Al-Rai. From A’zaz to the Euphrates, the entire region was saved from becoming a belt of terrorism. Instead, it was converted into a belt of peace.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)