Speech by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, at the 79th session of UNGA. teleSUR
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00:00live to the United Nations General Assembly as the 79th session is opening and we'll listen
00:05to President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Let's listen.
00:14Mr. President, dear heads of states and governments, Mr. Secretary General,
00:20distinguished delegates, on behalf of myself, my country and my nation, I greet you with my most
00:28heartfelt feelings and respect. I'm honored to have the opportunity to address the United Nations
00:37General Assembly once again today. Well, I hope that the 79th General Assembly will be a blessing
00:45for our countries and for the entire humanity. I would like to congratulate Mr. Francis on the
00:55completion of his term as President of the General Assembly and wish success to Mr. Young as he takes
01:01over. I would like to express here our pleasure to see the representative of our friend and brother
01:10Palestine in his rightful place among the member states as a result of long struggles. I hope that
01:18this historic step will be the final turning point on the road
01:24into Palestine's membership to the United Nations.
01:29The international community and all of us in the human family must fulfill our obligation
01:35to the Palestinian people without further ado that haven't done already. Distinguished guests,
01:44I know that there are certain crises that you're monitoring on TV and those are the
01:49crises that we are going through every day and we're trying to manage them. That's why today
01:55I'm not talking, representing a country that is situated far away from tensions, but instead
02:03that is found at the very heart of tension and war. Some people will critical, will be critical
02:12of us, but despite that fact today on the common rostrum of the human race we will speak of the
02:20truth frankly and openly. Right now the United Nations under the roof of which we are found today
02:33were established in the aftermath of the Second World War in which millions of people have lost
02:37their lives to maintain international peace and security. With the establishment of the
02:44United Nations expectations for global stability, peace and justice were reborn
02:52and hopes for peace were sprouted again. To put it bluntly, unfortunately in the
03:02last few years the United Nations has failed to fulfill its founding mission
03:08and has gradually become a dysfunctional structure.
03:14The world is bigger than five is my motto, it's my credo and this credo represents
03:22our common values and we need those values more than ever in this day and age.
03:26International justice cannot be left in the will of five privileged member states of the
03:36Security Council and the most dramatic example to that is the war, the massacre that has been
03:43going on in Gaza for the last 350 days and since October 7, 41,000 Palestinians have been killed
03:51in the continuous Israeli attacks. 41,000 lives, 41,000 people, mostly children and women,
04:02were ruthlessly taken away and no one knows where more than 10,000 people are, most of which
04:12are children and likewise 100,000 people were injured, maimed or they lost their limbs.
04:22172 journalists were killed while trying to do their job under very difficult circumstances
04:29and more than 500 medics have been killed while they were trying to save lives.
04:36Humanitarian aid workers and the United Nations personnel who came to the rescue of the people
04:41of Gaza who were struggling with hunger and thirst were killed. More than 215 United Nations
04:48personnel. They hit marketplaces, tent and camps where the refugees were sheltered. They hit 820
04:57mosques and three churches that shouldn't have been touched even in war and they deliberately
05:02hit dozens of hospitals, hundreds of schools, more than 130 ambulances carrying patients.
05:08They shredded the charter of the United Nations from the rostrum of the United Nations
05:15and shamelessly challenged the whole world who are people of conscience.
05:20From this very rostrum they challenged them. My friends,
05:29leaked images from Israel's prisons which it has turned into concentration camps
05:34clearly show what kind of barbarism we are facing.
05:42As a result of Israeli attacks, Gaza has become the world's largest cemetery for women
05:49and children. More than 17,000 children were targeted by Israeli bullets and bombs.
05:58Hind Recep was only six years old. He and his family were seeking safety when the car was hit
06:10by Israeli forces. He lost everything. He lost his mother, father, siblings, cousins. He lost all the
06:20hopes he had packed and only he survived. He waited desperately for rescue for 12 days.
06:31Will you come to take me? I'm fearful. I was waiting for a helping hand to reach out to him
06:41for 12 days. Despite the level of our world has reached, despite the technology at our disposal,
06:50despite our organizations with huge budgets employing tens of thousands of personnel,
06:56as a human family of 8 billion inhabitants, we haven't yet managed to rescue a six-year-old girl
07:07which is actually like an injured sparrow trapped under the rubble that was shaking before our eyes.
07:14Hundreds of Gazan children died and are still dying because they cannot find a morsel of a dry
07:20bread, a sip of water and a bowl of soup. In Gaza, not only children are dying but also the United
07:30Nations system. The values that the West claims to defend are dying. The truth is dying. The hopes of
07:40humanity to live in a more just world are dying one by one. I am asking you bluntly here, openly,
07:51frankly, I call out to you, oh human rights organizations, are those in Gaza and the West
07:58Bank not human beings? Do children in Palestine have no rights? Can they play out on the streets?
08:09In their homelands safely? And calling out to the international press organizations,
08:14aren't the journalists murdered by Israel on live TV your colleagues whose offices were actually
08:21raided as well? I call out to United Nations Security Council, what are you waiting for
08:28to prevent the genocide in Gaza, to put a stop to this cruelty, this barbarianism?
08:35What are you waiting for to stop Netanyahu and his network
08:44who is endangering the lives of the Palestinian people, which is a part of a mass murder network?
08:51And what are you still waiting for to stop them,
08:55putting to danger their own people and the entire region for political gain?
09:00I would like to call out to the countries supporting Israel in an unconditional manner.
09:10How long are you going to be able to carry the shame of witnessing this massacre? Dear friends,
09:17while children are dying in Gaza, in Ramallah, in Lebanon, while babies are dying in incubators,
09:24unfortunately, the international community has given a very bad test and failed
09:32in a big way. What's happening in Palestine, look, is a sign of a great moral collapse.
09:41I believe that the peoples of the world, the leaders of countries and international
09:45organizations should reflect on this painful picture.
09:48The Israeli government, disregarding basic human rights, trampling on international law
09:54at every opportunity, is practicing ethnic cleansing, a clear genocide against a nation,
10:01a people, and occupying their lands step by step.
10:05And I would like to state very clearly and loudly here, the Israeli government disregarding basic
10:13human rights, trampling on international law at every opportunity, is practicing ethnic cleansing,
10:19a clear genocide against a nation, a people, and occupying their lands step by step.
10:27Palestinians, whose freedom, independence, and most basic rights have been usurped,
10:34are rightfully exercising their legitimate rights of resistance against this occupation
10:40against the occupiers of their land is too noble. It's honorable and legitimate to be called
10:49illegitimate. It's heroic and it's noble.
10:54The only reason for Israel's aggression against the Palestinian people is the unconditional
11:14support of a group of countries. And I would like to wave at my brothers and sisters at the
11:20legitimate resistance in Palestine. As I've said before, the support of a group of countries for
11:26Israel is the reason why this aggression is still going on. Countries that have a say over Israel
11:33are openly complicit in this massacre with a policy of run for the hair and catch the hound.
11:43Those who are supposedly working for a ceasefire in front of the stage
11:47continue to send arms and ammunition to Israel so that it can continue its massacres
11:53in the background. This inconsistency and this is insincerity. Look,
12:05there's a paper that has been going around back and forth since May.
12:10Hamas has repeatedly declared its acceptance of the ceasefire offer, but the Israeli government
12:16has made it very clear that this is the party that doesn't want peace by constantly dragging
12:22its feet, making a settlement of dispute much more difficult, almost impossible, constantly
12:28finding an excuse and sneakily killing its negotiating partner at a time when it was closest
12:34to a ceasefire. Israel's stalling and deception should not be given any more credit.
12:43In the absence of the implementation
12:57of UN Security Council Resolution No. 2735,
13:04coercive measures against Israel should be put on the agenda. Israel's behaviour
13:12has once again demonstrated that it is imperative for the international community
13:19to develop a protection mechanism for Palestinian civilians.
13:26Seventy years ago, just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity, Netanyahu and his
13:35murder network must be stopped by an alliance of humanity.
13:48We believe that the General Assembly's authority to recommend the use of force,
13:54as in the 1950 Resolution on Unity for Peace, should be considered in this process during this
14:03time. An immediate and a permanent ceasefire must be established. Hostages and prisoners
14:12must be exchanged. And humanitarian aid must be delivered to Gaza unhindered and uninterrupted.
14:23It's very, very important that we extend a helping hand to the people of Gaza,
14:31especially before the winter season, when conditions on the ground will become even
14:35more challenging. Look, right now, 70% of the water supplies and 75% of the bakeries
14:49in Gaza have been destroyed. 95% of health centres were partially or completely damaged.
15:01150,000 houses were completely destroyed. 200,000 houses were partially destroyed.
15:08And 80,000 houses become uninhabitable. Infectious diseases such as polio and hepatitis are on the
15:17rise. The people of Gaza receive only a quarter of the aid they urgently need. That's what they
15:27have access to. And as Turkey, we have been providing humanitarian aid to our brothers
15:36and sisters in Palestine, and we will keep on doing that. With more than 60,000 tonnes of aid,
15:48Turkey is the country sending the largest amount of aid to Gaza. Likewise, by halting commercial
15:54transactions with Israel, we have demonstrated our stance on this issue. Now, during the last
16:06couple of weeks, attacks by Israel have been increased in Lebanon, and we are by the side
16:13of the Lebanese people and the Lebanese government. We can see this truth for what it is.
16:23Those who murdered 41,000 people cannot rest until those who gave the orders, pulled the trigger,
16:31and dropped the bombs are held accountable for their crimes. We will not heave a sigh of relief.
16:38Our Qarash Kanshs will not go silent. The bill for the billions of dollars of damage caused in
16:47the cities that have been destroyed, wrecked, and reduced to rubble must and will be compensated
16:53by the perpetrators. We support the case brought by the Republic of South Africa at the International
17:03Court of Justice to ensure that Israel's crimes do not go unpunished. We will take every step
17:12necessary for justice to be served in the case for which we have applied as an intervener or as
17:20a party. We will fight for the blood of Ayshanur Ezgi-Eygi, who was shot in the head and murdered
17:30by Israeli soldiers during a peaceful protest in Nablus. And we will fight in all legal remedies,
17:40and we will keep on doing that. While a ceasefire in Gaza is urgently needed,
17:53the underlying problem in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the Israeli occupation of Palestinian
17:59territories. Based on the 1967 borders, an independent, sovereign, and geographically
18:07integrated Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital must come into being. This cannot
18:16be delayed any longer. I would like it to be known that we are closely following Israel's
18:23increasing attacks on our first Qibla al-Aqsa Mosque and Haram al-Sharif.
18:28I would like to state once again on this podium as Tayyip Erdogan once again that I'm not using
18:40a language of politics. I am encouraged by our ancestors who have always stood by the side of
18:53the victims honorably and nobly. We are a nation that has been on the side of the oppressed and
18:59against the oppressors and oppression throughout history. We are such a nation.
19:07We welcomed Jews fleeing the Inquisition 500 years ago and Jews fleeing Hitler's
19:16concentration camps. We opened our arms wide. We as a country and a nation, I'll be very clear
19:24today that we have no animosity or hostility towards the people of Israel.
19:31We oppose anti-Semitism in the same way we oppose the targeting of Muslims just because of their
19:39faith. Our problem is with the massacre policies of the Israeli government. Our problem is with
19:56the oppressor and the oppression just as it was five centuries ago. Everybody should know about
20:03this. We will always speak of the truth and speak of what's right and what's fair. Even if some people
20:10will be uncomfortable we will continue to shout out the truth and stand by the righteous and
20:17boldly say that we will speak of what we know is right even though it will hurt some people.
20:23From here I would like to thank all the courageous people who showed solidarity with the Palestinian
20:37people without discrimination of faith, country, language or religion and who take to the streets
20:44almost every week to raise their voices against the massacres in Gaza. I would like to especially
20:53thank university students and the youth. Distinguished delegates, unfortunately in the
21:0014th year of the conflict Syria is still far from stability. The economic and humanitarian
21:08situation in the country in the grip of terrorism and separatist organizations remains dire.
21:14On the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 we hope to advance the political process
21:24and achieve national reconciliation. We are determined to sincerely pursue our position
21:32in favor of a realistic dialogue. We are very sincere in that regard. Our neighbor Iraq while
21:41continuing its fight against terrorism is taking decisive steps towards development,
21:46reconstruction and reintegration with its region. And the international community must support
21:54Iraq's efforts. In this context it is important to implement initiatives such as the development
22:02road project which will benefit the entire region on a win-win basis. The success of all
22:10these efforts depend on the complete elimination of the terrorist threat in Iraq in particular the
22:17PKK. We are strengthening our common action plan with another neighbor of ours Iran in the region
22:30in order to establish stability and peace. It's going to contribute tremendously to our efforts.
22:37The war in Ukraine
22:43has been going on for three years and we are still away from establishing a permanent peace
22:48and stability. As the arms race accelerates the space for diplomacy is shrinking.
22:56It's very important that diplomacy and dialogue will ensure territorial integrity and sovereignty
23:06of Ukraine and our support for those endeavors of Turkey will continue even strongly. And again
23:12during this process we are determined to implement the Montreux Convention on the Straits.
23:22We will rigorously implement the Montreux Convention. We support the peace process
23:26between Azerbaijan and Armenia and hope that this process will be concluded as soon as possible with
23:32good news. We support continued high-level contacts between the two countries and we are focusing on
23:42dialogue. Turkey and Armenia we are also taking positive steps on that track to progress in the
23:53Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process will have a positive impact on the Turkey-Armenia normalization
23:59process. Dear friends we play a constructive role for the prosperity and peace at the Balkans
24:06of which we are an integral part and we act in close cooperation with all actors in the region.
24:17As a member of the Steering Committee for Peace Implementation Council we emphasize the importance
24:22of the sovereignty political unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina
24:28on every platform and continue our contribution to Operation Euphor Altea. We are successfully
24:35continuing the key four command we assumed last year and supporting the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue
24:43process. We want to see the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean as a zone of stability and
24:51prosperity where the legitimate interests of parties are concerned can be respected.
25:00It is in the common interest of the entire region to enhance cooperation particularly on the
25:07delimitation of jurisdictions in accordance with international law
25:12freedom and safety of navigation maritime trade.
25:17International maritime law encourages cooperation between literal states in closed or unclosed seas
25:23such as the Aegean Sea. Turkey is ready for constructive cooperation on all issues
25:28especially in energy and environment. We have the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean
25:34and Turkey's key role is undeniable. Turkey has legitimate rights and authorities in the
25:44western part of the island of Cyprus while the Turkish Cypriots have legitimate rights
25:51in the areas around the world. It has been 50 years since the Cyprus peace operation
25:59and 61 years since the Cyprus issue emerged as a result of the Greek-Cypriot
26:05european of the partnership state.
26:10From that day until today peace and tranquility have prevailed on the island.
26:19It was always the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey who put forth the sincere will
26:24to bring about a just lasting and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue.
26:30The federation model is now completely outdated and we fully support the vision of a two-state
26:39solution with two different nations put forward by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
26:48The sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots which are the
26:54vested rights of the Turkish Cypriots must be ensured by the Turkish Cypriot
26:59must be re-registered and the isolation must end.
27:07Today I once again invite the international community to recognize the Turkish Republic
27:14of Northern Cyprus and to establish diplomatic political and economic relations.
27:21We actively support the stabilization of Libya and the preservation of the unity and integrity
27:27of the country. We call on all states to sincerely stand by Libya at a very sensitive time
27:36and contribute to building in the party.
27:43We must do more to end the conflict in Sudan.
27:49We all have a responsibility to deliver humanitarian assistance to the millions
27:54of Sudanese people displaced by the conflict.
28:02With its young and dynamic population, rich natural resources and vast fertile lands,
28:10Africa has enormous potential.
28:14Based on the principles of equal partnership and mutual respect,
28:20hand in hand with the peoples of Africa, we support the continent's efforts for peace,
28:25stability and development. We will continue to stand in full solidarity with our African brothers
28:33and sisters. As part of our initiatives, we are strengthening our deep-rooted ties with Asia.
28:44We are deepening our engagement with our partner regional organizations such as
28:48ASEAN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Pacific Islands Forum. We keep our will
28:55to develop our relations with BRICS, which brings together emerging economies alive.
29:02We share a deep-rooted history with the countries of Central Asia,
29:07and we are further strengthening our cooperation on bilateral and multilateral grounds.
29:13Our organization of Turkic states is gradually turning into a center of attraction.
29:23The organization is becoming an exemplary model of cooperation with the contributions of
29:28observer members Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
29:34We will further strengthen our unity and our togetherness as the Turkic world.
29:39And within the framework of respect for China's sovereignty and territorial integrity,
29:46we are in close dialogue with China to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of Uyghur Turks,
29:53with whom we have strong historical, cultural and humanitarian ties.
29:59We endeavor to build on the friendly ties we have established with the countries in Latin America
30:05and the Caribbean.
30:10Distinguished Delegates, we must work together to address global injustice.
30:19The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals concept is a key part of our work.
30:26Sustainable Development Goals concept of leaving no one behind is a guiding principle for these efforts.
30:36As one of the largest aid donors relative to its
30:40gross domestic product, Turkey's development cooperation activities contribute to achieving
30:46the Sustainable Development Goals.
30:49We contribute to efforts to ensure fair, inclusive growth and development in all
30:54international platforms, especially the G20, of which we are a member.
31:04We approach technological breakthroughs not as a source of new injustice and conflicts,
31:11but as a source of a more prosperous future, such as AI.
31:15We believe that all nations should equally benefit from the transformative power of these breakthrough technologies.
31:24The United Nations Technology Bank for Least-Developed Countries, which we are hosting,
31:29is a concrete manifestation of our efforts in this direction.
31:33But unfortunately, the cyber terror attacks that took place in Lebanon last week show us once again
31:41how deadly these technologies can be used as weapons.
31:48I approach the climate change issue from that same perspective.
31:54No country can tackle emission reductions and climate change adaptation alone.
32:04The most important issues for developing countries are financing, technology transfer
32:10and capacity building.
32:14I sincerely believe that the COP29 climate summit in Baku will contribute to the solution of these issues.
32:29At the summit, we expect to launch important additional initiatives and unveil our long-term
32:35low-emission development strategy at the Zero Waste Initiative that
32:42became a reality under the auspices of my spouse, Madam Emine Erdogan.
32:51And with mutual agreements, we have taken our domestic affairs and initiatives to
32:59international agendas. I would like to ask everybody to support our endeavors in that regard.
33:07We see Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism creeping over the world like a poison ivy.
33:18We can see that every week attacks are taking place upon our mosques and our holy book of Quran.
33:27In the middle of Europe, people's homes are set on fire
33:31and lives are taken because of their ethnic and religious affiliation.
33:38Their lives are taken away from them and their fundamental rights are being
33:46suspended and nobody can ignore this growing danger any longer.
33:51On March 15th, 2024, we expect a special envoy to combat Islamophobia to be appointed at the United Nations as soon as possible as envisaged in the draft resolution adopted on March the 15th.
34:12Today, I would like to draw your attention once again to the danger that I raised last year on this podium.
34:18Attacks on the institution of family, the pillar of society, are increasing.
34:29The disgrace staged at the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games
34:34has revealed the extent of the threat we face as humanity.
34:38A sporting event watched by innocent children and hundreds of millions of people of all ages and beliefs has been used as a tool for a sexist propaganda.
34:58It was actually a parade of bad scenes.
35:08Those disturbing scenes of evil have wounded not only the Catholic world, the Christian world,
35:13but everyone who respects the sacred values.
35:17The issue of desexualization is no longer an orientation but a global imposition.
35:24It literally became a war against the sacred and human nature.
35:30We are facing a multidimensional, comprehensive, and ruthless project of destruction who are speaking out and who are reacting to this evil.
35:48Anyone who raises a voice for this annihilation project is silenced and targeted by lynch campaigns.
35:55And Turkey is determined to break this siege and resist the climate of fear.
35:59To this end, we became a member of the United Nations Friends of the Family Group.
36:04Inshallah, God willing, together with other member countries, we will not hesitate to defend the family, the human being, and the human nature.
36:14I invite all the countries that share our sentiments to shoulder this struggle.
36:20With these thoughts in mind, I wish that the 79th General Assembly will be auspicious for all humanity.
36:29I greet you all once again with love and respect.
36:34May peace be with you and may you remain in health.
36:43We were listening to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was addressing the 79th General Assembly as the general debate of the Assembly opened today.