Turkey's Erdogan calls for 'immediate reforms' for more effective UN

There is an urgent need for implementing “comprehensive and meaningful reforms” at the UN, starting with the restructuring of the UN Security Council, Turkish president has said.

“We have seen how ineffective the existing global mechanisms have been during this crisis.

This was so much true that it took weeks, even months, for the Security Council, the most fundamental decision-making body of the UN, to include the pandemic on its agenda.

“Thus, we have once again seen the rightfulness of the ‘the world is bigger than five’ thesis, which I have been advocating for years from this rostrum,” President Erdogan told the UN General Assembly in a video message on Tuesday.

Effective UNSC structure

“We must provide the Council with a more effective, democratic, transparent and accountable structure and functioning. Likewise, we should also strengthen the General Assembly, which reflects the common conscience of the international community,” he urged.

Stressing the need of global cooperation for global problems like Covid-19, he said that the world should try to use the mechanisms for multilateral cooperation in the most effective way.

“We have been in the forefront of efforts to combat the pandemic in the G20, the Turkic Council, MIKTA, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other platforms, he said, adding that Turkey has extended help to 146 countries during the global outbreak.

READ MORE: Turkey leading way in providing essential aid around the world

Row with Greece

Erdogan proposed a regional conference with all Mediterranean coastal states, including the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, to address tensions over maritime boundaries and hydrocarbon exploration in the region.

Addressing the UN General Assembly in a video message, Erdogan said Turkey's primary preference was to solve disagreements "justly and in an appropriate way" through talks, but added that "futile" attempts to exclude Turkey from plans in the eastern Mediterranean could not succeed.

"I would like to reiterate our call to establish dialogue and cooperation with coastal states in the Mediterranean," Erdogan added. "So we are proposing the holding a regional conference where the rights and interests of all coastal states are taken into consideration, and where Turkish Cypriots are present too."

READ MORE: Turkey, Greece to resume talks over eastern Mediterranean conflict

Lawful solution to Iran nuclear dispute

Erdogan also told that dialogue and diplomacy should resolve issues related to Iran's nuclear programme under international law, with all parties abiding a 2015 international agreement.

The United States on Monday announced new sanctions against Iran's Defence Ministry and others involved in its nuclear and weapons programme. They were meant to support Washington's assertion, disputed by Europeans and others, that all United Nations sanctions against Tehran are now restored.

"We support solving issues regarding Iran's nuclear programme by taking international law into consideration and through dialogue and diplomacy," Erdogan said.

"I repeat our call for all parties to abide by their responsibilities under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which provides serious contributions to regional and global security," he said. 

READ MORE: US expands scope of sanctions on Iran

Call for global vaccination

Erdogan stressed any future Covid-19 vaccine should be universally available, regardless of where it is produced.

"I am calling from here once again for the procurement of medical equipment and medicine, and vaccine efforts not to be made into a topic of competition," Erdogan said in a video address to the UN General Assembly, which is holding a virtual meeting because of the global coronavirus pandemic. 

"No matter what country they are produced in, vaccines that are made ready to be administered should be presented to the common use of humanity," he said.

READ MORE: Turkey begins phase three trials of Chinese Covid-19 vaccine