World avoiding refugee problem does not eliminate it – President Erdogan

Developed and wealthy Western countries, as well as some rich Arab nations, failed to step up to resolve the refugee crisis, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"The world avoiding the refugee problem does not eliminate this problem," Erdogan told reporters on Tuesday after co-chairing the first Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

Erdogan proceeded from Geneva to Malaysia to attend a summit of Muslim world leaders in Kuala Lumpur.

The summit, which lasts through December 21, is a global platform for dialogue that will bring together Muslim leaders, intellectuals and scholars to produce solutions to problems faced by Muslims.

World powers had not yet offered any support for the planned safe zone in northern Syria, where Ankara intends to resettle a million Syrian refugees, broadcaster NTV on Wednesday quoted Erdogan as saying. 

Turkey has said the zone will let refugees camped out in its territory return safely to their own country, and help secure its border with Syria. 

Turkey's Western allies have criticised the Turkish military operation in October which Ankara launched to liberate a large part of Syria's north from the YPG terror group and to set up a refugee safe zone.

"Not even the countries we regard as the most powerful and respected have come out yet in response to our call on the safe zone and said 'we're in'," Erdogan said.

More than 600,000 refugees would voluntarily join around 371,000 already in the zone, he said.

"If we succeed in this, it will go down in history as an example. They will say, 'Turkey established this city or cities for refugees'. This is really important for us. Our project is great," he said.

Erdogan said Turkey had spent $40 billion hosting some 3.7 million Syrian refugees. He has repeatedly accused the European Union of failing to deliver about half the nearly $6.61 billion it had promised to support the broader refugee work.

Erdogan said that global problems can only be overcome by global cooperation and solidarity.

Turkey hosts the largest number of refugees and spends the most on humanitarian aid per capita.

On Turkey sending unmanned aerial vehicles to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Erdogan said that more drones will be sent if necessary.

"Anything can change at any time based on need," Erdogan said.

Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial vehicles from Naval Air Command in Dalaman, Aegean Turkey, landed on Monday in the TRNC at 0700GMT following a green light from the Turkish Cypriot government.