Erdoğan Speaks at UN General Assembly: None of us is Safe
* Photograph: Erçin Top/ New York-AA
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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at the 74th United Nations (UN) General Assembly yesterday evening (September 24).
Concluding his remarks, Erdoğan expressed Turkey's wish to chair the 75th UN General Assembly, announcing that they have nominated former Minister of European Union (EU) and Ambassador Volkan Bozkır for the position.
"If each one of us is not safe, then we cannot turn our backs to the fact that none of us is safe", Erdoğan said and made the following remarks in brief:
"In today's world, it is obvious that neither rights, nor responsibilities are shared as is required. The institution that we are currently in was established to eliminate this injustice after the 2nd World War.
'International community losing its ability of solutions'
"In fact, today, international community is losing its ability to develop solutions for problems such as terrorism and climate change that are threatening the future.
"I am repeating before you: The world is bigger than five. It is high time that we changed our mentality, our institutions and our rules.
"The existence of countries with and without nuclear power is in itself enough to throw off the balance of the world. It is meaningful that the ones possessing nuclear weapons are threatening the ones who do not have any.
"Let us resolve this problem on the basis of justice for a peaceful future. Either everyone should be allowed to possess nuclear power or it should be forbidden for everyone.
'Time to end Syria crisis'
"The constitutional committee that we see as critical should operate effectively and fruitfully so that the territorial integrity and political unity can be established in Syria.
"The world has forgotten about baby Aylan quite quickly. Do not forget it: The same thing could also happen to you one day.
"In the first 8 months of this year, we saved 32 thousand irregular migrants from drowning in seas. We have repatriated 58 thousand non-Syrian irregular migrants.
"It is time to end the Syria crisis. Turkey is the country harmed by the DAESH threat most.
'We cannot tolerate a new migration wave'
"Turkey has neither tolerance, nor the means to receive another migration wave. I call on to everyone to support Turkey's efforts in that respect.
"Another important point is to eliminate the PKK/YPG structure in the east of Euphrates. So long as the same stance is not taken up against all terrorist organizations, we cannot resolve this problem. We are still working with the US to establish a safe zone.
"Our intention is primarily to create a peace corridor and ensure the residence of 2 million Syrians there. When this safe zone is declared, we can settle 1.5-2 million Syrian migrants there.
'Safe zone should extend to Raqqa'
"If we can extend the depth of safe zone to the line of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, we can also increase the number of Syrians that will return from other parts of Europe to 3 million.
"Led by our country, we are organizing an international conference with the participation of Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. We also consider the success of global refugee forum important. We also think that a conference of donors can be organized under the leadership of the UN.
'The solution is to establish the state of Palestine'
"Today, one of the places with the most injustice is the land of Palestine under the occupation of Israel. I am wondering: Where is Israel?
"Where does the territory of Israel cover? Where was it in 1947? Where was it in 1949-1967? And where is Israel today? Does the UN implement the decisions taken about Israel? Then, what good does the UN do?
"Our stance as Turkey is clear: The solution is to establish the state of Palestine based on 1947 agreement and with East Jerusalem its capital.
"I am asking from the rostrum of the UN: Where are the borders of the state of Israel? Are they the borders of 1948? Are they the borders of 1967? Or, does it have any other borders?
"Is it the objective of the deal called 'Deal of the Century' to completely sweep away Palestine? Do they want to drench the whole world in blood?" (PT/SD)
