Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Monday called for significant reform within the United Nations.
“The recent experience in Syria, for example, showed it very clearly. The international system, unfortunately, in charge of…. UN, especially… in charge of keeping peace and stability in international order, is not providing quick answers to the questions and crisis, which are the threats to international system,” said Davutoglu while speaking at the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank.
Davutoglu recalled the tragedy in Syria while emphasizing the UN’s failure to address the conflict’s humanitarian impacts.
“Until now, unfortunately, there was no single… single UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution regarding humanitarian situation in Syria. Forget political differences. Forget all the different attitudes or approaches regarding the future of Syria. But at least there should have been a common ground to agree on humanitarian issues,” he said.
Ankara’s top diplomat warned of the potential future ramifications of inaction, saying, “Like what Secretary General… although he was not responsible, he went to Srebrenica last year and apologized in the name of United Nations because of not being able to prevent Srebrenica. I am sure, maybe after one decade, another UN Secretary General will go to Homs or to East Ghouta in Damascus, and will have to apologize because of not preventing chemical attacks or massacres.”
He added that the Turkish government tried to include language on Syria’s humanitarian situation in the UNSC’s September resolution on Syria’s chemical weapon stockpiles, but was unable to get even a paragraph.
- “We are proud that in Turkey these demonstrations are similar demonstrations in Europe.”
Regarding recent demonstrations in Turkey, Davutoglu said, “You can compare the right of demonstration in Turkey, and the events in Gezi Park for example, only with European countries.”
He further stated, “Nobody can compare Turkey with those countries where there is no freedom of press, or freedom of thought, freedom of association, free and fair elections. We are proud that in Turkey these demonstrations are similar demonstrations in Europe.”
-Diyarbakir rally “end of Kurdish issue as a domestic threat”
Following Saturday’s rally in Diyarbakir, which drew thousands to Turkey’s southeast, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, Davutoglu hailed the gathering as “a declaration of the end of Kurdish issue as a domestic threat.”
“Of course, in Turkish democracy there are many challenges that we have to deal with. One thing we totally changed: we eliminated the concept of domestic threats,” said Davutoglu.
