Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he used his 16th address to the UN General Assembly to call for a fairer global order and reaffirm Türkiye’s support for Palestine.
“We will continue to courageously speak out for what is right and tell the truth,” Erdogan said after a cabinet meeting in Ankara on Monday.
Recalling his participation in the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Erdogan said he had presented a five-point framework for a new global order based on greater fairness, stronger representation, trust and prosperity.
He also outlined Türkiye’s positions on Gaza and the occupied West Bank, the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions involving Iran.
‘We will not back down’
Erdogan said Israel’s “state terrorism” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank remained at the top of Türkiye’s international agenda.
He criticised the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from the General Assembly, saying visa restrictions had prevented him from attending in person.
“While war criminals whose words reek of blood found a place at the UN podium to spread their lies, the fact that President Abbas could not be there is a shameful situation for humanity,” Erdogan said.
He said Türkiye would continue supporting Palestinians and Lebanese affected by the conflicts.
“We will never abandon our stance until those who commit crimes against humanity, those who have shed the blood of 74,000 of our brothers and sisters in Gaza, and those who have spread terror across our region from Lebanon to Syria are held accountable before the law,” he said.
Diplomatic and economic outreach
Erdogan said he held bilateral meetings with 17 heads of state and government during his New York visit and attended a meeting of US and Gulf Cooperation Council countries at Trump’s invitation.
“At the invitation of Mr. Trump, I attended a meeting bringing together the US and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, where I shared our views on restoring peace and stability in the region,” he said.
He also met US business representatives to discuss investment opportunities in Türkiye and attended programmes involving Turkish, American and Muslim communities.
Erdogan highlighted the Turkevi Center in New York as a diplomatic hub and recalled attending the closing ceremony of the 21st MUSIAD EXPO International Trade Fair and the 29th International Business Forum on September 26.
He said the contacts made during the UN General Assembly would benefit Türkiye and communities affected by conflicts, while expressing hope that the meetings would lead to new partnerships and cooperation.
