I would like to wholeheartedly greet everyone on behalf of myself and my nation. I hope and pray that the seventy- seventh session of the General Assembly will yield the best possible results for us, our countries and the entire human race. I would also like to congratulate Mr. Csaba Korosi for having assumed the presidency of the General Assembly and for his theme for this year’s session of the General Assembly, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”, which appears to be very appropriate.
We meet at a time when we are trying to sort out many challenges on a global scale. One of the biggest lessons of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was how to build international solidarity in resolving global threats. During the pandemic, Tiirkiye managed to provide humanitarian aid, without any discrimination, to more than 161 countries and 12 international organizations. We also contributed to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, as well as national and local vaccine efforts, in the service of the entire human race. Last year, we ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in order to demonstrate the extent of our resolve in the fight against climate change and our aim of becoming a zero-emission country by 2053. We also convened the sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Istanbul, which showed our willingness to become pioneers in the fight against climate change.
The global economy was impacted heavily by the supply-chain problems caused by the pandemic, and with the addition of the Russia-Ukraine crisis we are experiencing a new wave of shock. Energy, food and raw materials prices are increasing, creating the enormous pressure of inflation, which has significant ramifications for the world’s economies and social welfare systems. Those developments have proved once again the high importance of energy supply security. Since the shock began, Tiirkiye has focused on energy not as an issue of competition but as an area for cooperation. Taking into account our own needs, we have revived many projects to support energy security, not only in our region but also on a global scale. In the light of recent developments, our approach has proved to be effective.
The situation we are facing has also jeopardized food supply security. This is the twenty-first century — we have never had as many financial and technological opportunities as we do now. Yet one fifth of the world’s population still currently faces crippling rates of poverty and hunger. The world was aiming to reach zero poverty and hunger by the year 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals, but given recent developments it seems like we are moving away from our projected achievements. It is time for us to shed light on our path, and that can be done only through international cooperation and solidarity and by taking just and fair approaches to our dealings with one another. We need to take action together to combat the challenges of our common fate. Tiirkiye is willing to demonstrate its willingness to do that, as we have done with the pandemic and the climate change crisis.
We have also demonstrated our stance in combating the crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Ukrainian conflict has surpassed the seven-month threshold, and we believe that while there will never be a winner in this war, a fair peace process should not have any losers. That is important to us, as we have consistently underlined the importance of using diplomacy, through dialogue, in order to settle disputes once and for all. That is why we brought together the parties at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, and then in Istanbul, in order to facilitate the reconciliation process.
As a result of our significant efforts together with the Secretary-General, we have managed to export Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, and it has found its way to other global markets. The agreement reached in Istanbul to enable those exports, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, is still critical, and those exports will increase over time. That agreement, undertaken jointly with the United Nations, is one of our Organization’s greatest accomplishments in recent decades. I think that the international community has revived its confidence in the United Nations as a result of the agreement in Istanbul, because it proved once again that negotiations can yield results, especially on issues that are vital to all the parties involved.
We have taken a similar approach to the issue of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is threatening the security of the entire globe. The conflict is escalating, and we are investing tremendous efforts in order to ensure an end to the war by definitively protecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We urge all the international organizations and countries of the world to support Tiirkiye’s peaceful initiatives to settle the dispute once and for all. We need a dignified way
out of this crisis, which can be found only through a rational, fair and appropriate diplomatic solution.
On the other hand, all the disasters affecting millions of people have shown once again that the United Nations will have to be much more effective and influential and that it has a responsibility to invest further efforts in resolving problems on a global scale. The United Nations will have to be much more inclusive and be capable of creating effective solutions for a fairer world. The United Nations must become an international organization in which the common will of the entire human race can be advanced. The Security Council in particular must be more effective, democratic, transparent, accountable and functional in order to help the entire human race in its search for peace, justice and welfare. That is going to be a turning point for us all. In order to remember our collective responsibility, we have been reiterating that one world is better than five and that a fairer world is still possible. We have repeated those remarks on every platform at every opportunity. We are committed and determined in our fight, and we expect the entire world to support us. I therefore once again call on the Assembly for its support.
Our foreign policy vision has been always peace-oriented. We have worked tirelessly, beginning in our region, to ensure that peace prevails in the entire world. In our “Mediation for peace” initiative, which we conduct under the auspices of the United Nations, we have worked tirelessly to resolve conflicts in Europe, Latin America, Africa and other areas. We seek to act as a mediator or facilitator in order to settle disputes once and for all. Our country is located in the heart of a region surrounded by conflict, but we seek to be a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem, which is possible only through the initiatives that we choose to undertake.
In that regard, we have always stressed that a peaceful, permanent reliable settlement must be found for the Syrian conflict in the framework of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). I believe that, if that conflict continues, it will threaten Syria’s territorial security and welfare and that of our region. Our country has hosted 4 million civilians of Syrian descent to date.
I think that the Security Council must shoulder its responsibility to extend resolution 2642 (2022), enabling the humanitarian aid mechanism that was established in Syria’s north-west. There, we are fighting terrorist organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and its offshoots, which pose a significant and clear threat to Tiirkiye and its security forces. That terrorist organization changes its name on a continuous basis and tries to legitimize itself. We must urge global forces to stop weaponizing those terrorist organizations and stop making the same mistakes of the past.
We are powerful enough to take every necessary measure against terrorism, and I want to remind everyone of that again. We will never shy away from combating terrorism and will always be very resolved to take the necessary measures to combat it. We seek to do everything in our capacity and with the utmost sincerity to ensure that our Syrian brothers and sisters are able to return to their country in a dignified, safe and secure manner.
We seek to create conditions that are conducive to returning civilians who fled the war to their motherland and ensuring that they lead dignified lives. We are building 100,000 brick homes in several parts of Syria so that they can seek refuge there. The vast majority of those homes have already been completed and handed over to their owners. We have also started preparations to build an additional 200,000 housing units so that 1 million Syrians will be able to go back to their homeland. Those projects will be completed in safe zones in a total of 13 different centres and rural areas, and we need the support of the international community in order for that to be possible. We need all the stakeholders in that project to demonstrate serious solidarity and commitment.
Irregular migration — the refugee crisis — cannot be solved by leaving people to their demise, building border walls and placing them in refugee camps. We can solve that problem only through efforts focused on humankind and human life. That approach is being taken in Greece, and we can clearly see that the Greeks are becoming much more tolerant towards the refugees around the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean.
Tiirkiye does not want to see the bodies of babies such as Aylan being washed ashore. But at the same time, Greece is unfortunately pushing back those refugees in an illegal and deliberate manner, turning the Aegean into a graveyard for refugees. Last week, a 9-month-old baby named Assam and a 4-year-old, Abdul Wahab, died because the Hellenic Coast Guard forces sank their boats. I think that it is high time for Europe, as well as the United Nations and other international
organizations, to say “stop” and “that is enough” to such crimes, which are crimes against humanity.
In another of our neighbouring countries, Iraq, we seek to invest significant efforts in order to ensure that peace and prosperity can be established there as well. We want political reconciliation to be established and political unity to be formed within the framework of an Iraqi identity. We must work together in order to sustainably establish prosperity in Iraq and stop the abuses being committed by terrorist organizations there. Nevertheless, there are terrorist organizations that continue to abuse Iraq’s instability, and we will never stop fighting the Iraq-based terrorist organizations that have taken violent action against Tiirkiye.
As I have said in this Hall many times, we will fight terrorism without any discrimination, and our commitment to genuine solidarity will help us achieve our goals. We will fight back against terrorism in all its forms, regardless of the names of its groups, and we want our allies — our friends — to provide us with the solidarity and commitment we need. It is natural for us to expect others to cooperate with us rather than terrorist organizations and tyrant regimes. We want our neighbours to forge solidarity with us in order to contribute to the stability, peace and welfare of our entire region and the world, and we are ready to work with them.
From a global security perspective, we need to focus on North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. In that framework, it is critical to establish stability and welfare in Libya, not only for the world but also for the entire region. Tiirkiye strongly supports the efforts of the United Nations in that regard. We want to protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the Libyan people and ensure that they attain their much-desired level of prosperity. Fair and universal elections should be held in Libya, and a strong Government with the legitimacy of the will of the people must be established there, which is something that we all have to work towards.
In order to ensure peace and prosperity throughout the Middle East, we need to put an end to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict once and for all by establishing a two-State solution, which is something we strongly support. We must preserve the historical and cultural identity of Jerusalem and respect Haram Al-Sharif, and we must stop the illegal settlements in the occupied regions by establishing security guarantees for Palestinians and their property. We must establish a permanent and fair solution for the region, with East Jerusalem as the capital and through the establishment of a free and sovereign Palestinian State. That is the only solution. It is in the best interests of the Palestinian people, the Israeli people, the region and the entire world. We will contribute efforts to making that possible.
It is also the international community’s responsibility to increase the institutional and financial capacity of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
We are also concerned about the problems in Iran. We have always supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We need diplomacy and dialogue to settle the disputes regarding Iran’s nuclear programme once and for all.
With regard to Azerbaijan, the liberation of its occupied territories has offered a historic opportunity for a permanent peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Tiirkiye has been supportive of the process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We have taken significant steps to make the best use of that opportunity. Recent clashes have cast a dark shadow on those positive developments, but we believe that it is still possible to achieve sustainable peace between those two countries. We will always stand by our Azerbaijani brothers in building their homes and their future in a legitimate and justified manner.
The opening, without delay, of the transportation routes in the region, which is an issue that also concerns our country closely, will contribute tremendously to the welfare the entire region.
At the same time, Afghanistan has struggled with conflicts, terrorism and poverty for almost half a century and is currently experiencing a challenging period. The interim Government must take the necessary steps to protect fundamental human rights, which could pave the way for some promising developments. Tiirkiye will continue supporting its Afghan brothers and sisters during that process.
India and Pakistan, following the establishment of their sovereignty and independence 75 years ago, still have not established peace and solidarity between one another, which is unfortunate. We hope and pray that fair and permanent peace and prosperity will be established in Kashmir.
We would like to extend our sincere condolences to the people of Pakistan with regard to the catastrophic
floods that they recently experienced. In response to the flood, we launched a humanitarian aid campaign, which is ongoing. We call on the international community to support the Pakistani people during this regrettable and painful period.
We support the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingya Muslims to their homeland.
We are very sensitive to the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Muslim Uyghur Turks in such a way that it will not threaten the territorial integrity and sovereignty of China.
In the Balkans, we are investing tremendous efforts on multiple platforms to strengthen peace and stability and to settle disputes through dialogue. At the beginning of September, we conducted an official visit to the region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia. I think that the finalization of elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina will contribute tremendously to the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process and the stability of the region.
As a country, Tiirkiye wants all the issues in the Aegean Sea and in the eastern Mediterranean to be resolved within the framework of good-neighbourly relations and in conformity with international law. Those countries that pursue a show of force in our region seem foolish and are no match for us. In the eastern Mediterranean, peace and stability depends on respect for the rights of all the parties. We expect Greece to set aside its provocative policies and to heed our calls for cooperation and solidarity.
We believe that the eastern Mediterranean conference, which we have recommended previously, will serve that purpose. The fact that our interlocutors have not made even the slightest effort to respond to that call shows who supports peace and dialogue and who supports conflict. Tiirkiye will always defend its rights in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean and will never yield to the escalation strategies led by other countries.
With regard to the Cyprus issued, we have always sought to reach a just, lasting and sustainable resolution, and we are working together with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to that end. There are two States and two different peoples on that island, and that should be universally accepted. The acceptance of the equal sovereignty and the international status of the Turkish Cypriots is key to a settlement on the island. We hereby call on the international community to put an end to the oppression of the Turkish Cypriots and to the sanctions imposed on them.
Greece, a member of the European Union, is inhumanely pushing back refugees in the Aegean Sea and is imposing policies against the Turkish Muslim minority in violation of its legal obligations. We hope that Greece will bring an end to all those wrongful practices and that the European Union will stop turning a blind eye to those inhumane and unlawful actions.
The value of Tiirkiye’s cooperation with the European Union is important in addressing regional and global challenges. As a strong ally of NATO, Tiirkiye is celebrating its seventieth anniversary as a member of the organization. We have diplomatic initiatives and military capabilities that are contributing to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region. We seek to contribute to the security, stability and prosperity of the European continent. And as a part of Asia on the Western coast of Europe, we are also leading initiatives on the Asian continent, such as the Asia Anew initiative, with a view to assuming a more proactive role.
We are trying to establish closer contacts and solidarity with African countries through the recent global initiatives that we have undertaken. In that context, in Istanbul from 16 to 18 December 2021, we held the third Tiirkiye-Africa Partnership Summit, which was widely attended by our African friends. Tiirkiye has always shown its commitment, as an equal partner, to Africa’s journey towards stability, development and prosperity.
Our cooperation with Latin America is also getting stronger, on the basis of mutual respect, and we are going to invest efforts institutionally to become more proactive in Latin America.
The international community is being shaken by several challenges. The biggest threat we are currently facing is the loss of the will to live together.
We are deeply concerned by the rise of racism, discrimination, xenophobia and Islamophobia in recent years. We have repeatedly called for 15 March, the date on which the terrorist attack against Muslims in New Zealand took place, to be declared the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, and we reiterate that appeal once again. We have taken action, first within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and subsequently within the General Assembly, to ensure that that date is
declared the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, and hope that wish will be realized.
As I have emphasized many times before, we consider Islamophobia along the same lines as antisemitism. We also consider it a crime against humanity. With that in mind, I hope that the General Assembly, at its seventy- seventh session, will be able to accomplish the goals that will respond to the expectations and aspirations of the entire human race. I extend my wishes for health and peace to all States. Once again, I wish to express to all Member States, on my behalf and on behalf of my nation, my appreciation and respect.