President Erdoğan made a statement at the 81st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York, USA.
Highlights from President Erdoğan's evaluations are as follows:
"I convey my congratulations to my dear friend Mr. Guterres, who has been serving as the UN Secretary General with impartiality and courage for nearly 10 years. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, the esteemed president of the State of Palestine, officially recognized by the overwhelming majority of its member countries, cannot be in this hall for the second year in a row.
This injustice towards our Palestinian brothers hurts the conscience. Even though Mr. Abbas cannot be here in person, we will be the voice of the free and sovereign Palestinian state, just like last year, and we will continue to announce the struggle of the Palestinian people to the world from this podium.
UNDESCRIBLE PAIN HAS EXPERIENCED
On this occasion, I once again invite all countries that have not yet recognized the state of Palestine to review their decisions. It is enough to take a look at the table of the last year. The past 12 months have been recorded as one of the bloodiest periods of the last 30 years, with more than 60 conflicts and wars. 250 thousand people lost their lives in Gaza, Ukraine, Russia, Iran and Lebanon. Indescribable pain was experienced. Hundreds of thousands of them had to leave the lands where they were born and raised.
In the last 3 years, 74 thousand of our brothers and sisters in Gaza have become victims of Israel's state terrorism. The people of Gaza are still searching for their loved ones under the rubble. He digs up the bodies of their wives, children, mothers and fathers. Innocent children who lost their hands and feet in Israeli attacks are trying to go to school and hold on to life with prosthetics made of wood.
More than 70 percent of generators in hospitals in Gaza cannot provide service due to fuel shortage. As a father and grandfather who dotes on his children and grandchildren, I have to say this from this podium, with our conscience torn apart: Gaza is not only the largest children's cemetery in the world, but also the region with the highest child amputation rate in the world.
GAZA IS THE MOST SHAMEFUL CONTRACTION CAMP OF OUR AGE
Gaza is the most inhumane and shameful concentration camp of our time. Even after the ceasefire reached with the efforts of President Trump and the contributions of countries including us, the number of Gazans murdered has exceeded 1500.
Although the Palestinian Resistance Movement has accepted the second phase of the peace plan, the Israeli government is not willing to make peace. Muslims and Christians are prevented from accessing holy places in Jerusalem. Today, I will express some facts clearly, without putting a curtain between my heart and my words. No one should be offended, sorry or offended. This is not Tayyip Erdoğan's personal issue. It is a humanitarian issue. It is a matter of conscience for all of us. We are faced with a genocidal mentality that cannot get enough of killing. There is an extremely dire situation.
No one with humanity, mercy, compassion and fairness and conscience can close their eyes to this picture.
THE UN ORGANIZATION HAS BECOME UNABLE TO PERFORM THIS DUTY
This is what this sight, which should shake us all, tells us. The UN organization, which was established 81 years ago to protect peace and security, has become unable to fulfill its duty, or rather has been brought down. The organization continues to lose blood. Those who pinned their hopes on the UN are deeply disappointed. One day, everyone will have to take refuge in the common conscience of humanity. Today, we can feel safe, prosperous and well-being, and we can live comfortably away from conflict zones and crisis zones. None of us know what will happen tomorrow. For this reason, I find this year's general assembly theme, which focuses on restoring trust in the international system, to be accurate.
We support sincere efforts in this direction, including the initiative of the Secretary General. If trust in the UN is truly to be increased, what needs to be done is clear. Children will be safe in Gaza. When Palestinian children look at the sky, they will see kites floating freely, not warplanes, UAVs and UCAVs.
THE SWEAT OF ASIAN WORKERS WILL NOT BE EXPLOITED BY SAVAGE CAPITALISTS
Children in Lebanon will not wake up to the sound of bombs. The sweat of Asian workers will not be exploited by wild capitalists. Our African brothers will look to their future with confidence. Only in this way can trust in the UN be restored. The structure in which the will of more than 190 countries depends on the whims of 5 countries is neither fair nor can fully establish trust.
THE WORLD IS BIGGER THAN 5
The Security Council must be reformed according to the principle that the world is bigger than 5. On the one hand, we need to keep up with the rapidly developing technology, and on the other hand, we carry the difficult but sublime responsibility of building a just order.
I want to share some basic principles with you. We have to change the understanding that international law is applied differently to the strong and differently to the weak. The system in which the perpetrators get away with it and impunity becomes commonplace is doomed to decay.
We have to use regional ownership to open a new path at every stage where international will is blocked in resolving crises. As Türkiye, we have achieved results on every issue, such as the Black Sea Grain Corridor. We must reestablish an understanding that puts cooperation and open diplomacy at the center of interstate relations. History has shown many times through bitter experiences that the understanding of politics built on distrust has no winners.
WE MUST BUILD TOGETHER A NEW PARADIGM THAT PRODUCES SOLUTIONS
We must build together a new paradigm that provides solutions to deepening income inequalities around the world. We believe that this is achieved through common development, solidarity and non-alignment. Societies connected to each other by roads, trade, energy lines and joint production will eventually unite in peace and stability. We should not allow the building of new walls between those who have technology and those who do not, by making the human-centered understanding of technology dominant. Techno-polarization and digital hegemony are neither for the benefit of the UN nor its primary constituents, the states.
As Türkiye, we do not just express these principles. We seek a more just and humane international system with every step we take. We reinforce our solidarity with the defense alliance we established with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and aim to produce solutions to the problems in our region.
Our efforts continue to end the war environment in the Gulf. I would like to underline that the dangerous attempt to spread the conflicts here to the surrounding regions does not benefit anyone. We are following the signature we signed in Gaza. We need to start the reconstruction of Gaza without delay. I invite you to put more pressure on Israel on this issue. Attempts to strangle the Palestinian state will be frustrated. I hope we will see those beautiful days when the independent and territorial integrity of the Palestinian state will come into existence, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the 1967 borders.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND BY THE BROTHERLY SYRIAN PEOPLE
My friends, after 14 years of oppression, Syria has entered a new path with the December 8 revolution. We see that under the leadership of President Shara, Syria is moving towards the goal of a safe and peaceful country, despite all kinds of provocations. We will continue to stand by the brotherly Syrian people. We fully support efforts to strengthen state authority and strengthen stability in Iraq. We work in cooperation with Iraq in strategic transportation and energy.
It is our desire to ensure peace with Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Russia-Ukraine war. We continue our contacts with the parties in order to prevent the war from spreading to a wider geography. I emphasize once again that attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea, regardless of who they are made by, are unacceptable.
I INVITE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO KNOW THE TRNC
We wish that the issues in Hormuz, the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean will be resolved in accordance with international law. Our Eastern Mediterranean Conference proposal will contribute to common ground. On this occasion, the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people must be registered, and the inhuman isolation to which they are subjected must come to an end. I invite the international community to recognize TRNC and establish political, diplomatic and economic relations.
Türkiye continues to be an island of stability in the midst of conflicts, with its developing defense industry and shock-resistant economy. As an integral part of Europe, our country plays important roles in ensuring the welfare and security of the continent. The NATO Ankara summit we hosted was a concrete sign of our determination regarding our common security. It is not possible for a Europe that is excluded from Türkiye's security architecture to be safer.
THE BALKANS ARE THE REGION WITH WHICH WE HAVE STRONG HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND HUMAN TIES
The Balkans is the region with which we have strong historical, cultural and human ties. We are taking joint steps to deepen our unity in the Balkan Peace Platform. Our view on the South Caucasus is extremely clear. We are trying to ensure the establishment of permanent peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We are resolutely advancing our normalization process with Armenia. The Organization of Turkish States has become an exemplary model of regional cooperation. The leaders' summit to be held in Ankara on October 30 will open new horizons. The Türkiye-Africa summit that we will organize in Libya in December is the symbol of our corporate partnership. It is important that all conflicts in South Asia, including the Kashmir issue, be addressed through dialogue within the framework of UN resolutions.
We fully support the ceasefire and permanent peace efforts in Sudan and the efforts to strengthen security, development and institutional capacity in Somalia. Maintaining stability and tranquility in Libya is our priority. We continue to develop our relations in the Asia Pacific with our re-Asia initiative. We conduct our relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries with mutual respect, partnership and a win-win approach.
We all get our sustenance and source of life from nature. Our world is on the verge of serious threats to the environment and climate. Many living things are affected by climate change. Developing countries and the Pacific region face difficulties in accessing the finance they need while experiencing the climate crisis to their core.
WE WILL HOST THE COP31 SUMMIT
We will host the COP31 summit in Antalya. We will ensure that climate justice is highlighted. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the COP31 Leaders Summit. The Zero Waste Movement, which my wife Emine Erdoğan started by saying "The World is Our Common Home", has turned into a global awareness campaign. There are many ways to combat the climate crisis. Zero Waste Movement is the strongest bridge where all these roads meet. I believe that this bridge will become stronger with your support. As big a danger as climate change is the spread of waste culture. 5.8 trillion plates of food go to waste every year in the world. In other words, over 2 billion tons of food is wasted. There can be no talk of justice in a world where tons of food are thrown away on one side and people collect food from the garbage on the other.
As Türkiye, we are ready to make every contribution to preventing waste and ensuring global food security. Dr. We nominated Mehmet Mehdi Eker as Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. I believe that you will give your support.
MUSLIM WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE EXPOSED TO DISCRIMINATION
In the hostility towards Islam that has spread like a plague in the West, Muslim women and girls in particular have been subjected to discrimination in recent years. We see headscarf bans as an attack on the most fundamental rights of women. Anti-xenophobia, cultural racism and antisemitism are toxic trends that must be combated. We need to know that global desexualization has turned into a siege that also targets innocent children. We can protect this siege by protecting the family. Türkiye will continue to take initiative in protecting families and children despite the attacks of lobbies.
Defending the truth has become more important than ever before. Artificial intelligence, which is becoming increasingly difficult to control, is also ahead of us. It is high time to establish a common international legal framework for artificial intelligence. It is important to accelerate the work on the preparation of the UN International Artificial Intelligence Convention.
The facts I openly express here today will undoubtedly make some people uncomfortable. I know very well that they will use all kinds of perception operations to silence our voices. As one of our poets put it, "They think that if we remain silent, there will be no problem. If we remain silent, history will not remain silent. If history remains silent, the truth will not remain silent. If they get rid of us, they will not be able to escape the torment of conscience. If they get rid of the torment of conscience, they will not be able to escape the torment of history. If they get rid of the torment of history, they will not be able to escape the wrath of God."
I HOPE I WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF THE OPENED
As Tayyip Erdoğan, as the president of a great nation with its conscience, history and mercy, I hope I will continue to fight and defend the rights of the oppressed, the victimized and the homeless from this podium as long as my Lord gives me life.
If necessary, we will suffer and pay the price, but we will not remain silent in the face of injustice and will never consent to oppression. When we look at the course of the world, we will see that there are two paths before us. We will either increase uncertainty with fear, conflict and introversion, or we will build the future together with justice, solidarity and common will. It is easy to shake your fist at the darkness, the difficult thing is to light a candle that will illuminate that darkness. Türkiye chose the second path. I pray that God will open our way and be our friend and helper. "I invite our friends who listen to us to protect our common vision."
*Photos: AA
