UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM ERDOGAN
By Merve Aydogan
ANKARA (AA) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called for a “comprehensive United Nations reform process ” in an article he penned for Foreign Policy magazine.
Speaking about the ongoing humanitarian crises across the world, Erdogan said: “The list goes on, but it is clear that the United Nations, which was intended to be the beating heart of humanity, has no pulse. ”
Erdogan stressed that the UN is “suffering from an unprecedented crisis of credibility, ” adding: “The main reason for the UN’s current troubles is the Security Council’s failure to keep its promise of promoting peace and security around the world. ”
He urged global leaders to step up their game.
“At a time when global leadership is desperately needed, it is crucial to improve the United Nations rather than destroy it. ”
“If the global powers won’t help, the rest of the international community must take matters into its own hands and launch a comprehensive UN reform process, ” the president said.
Underscoring that there are two main camps of UN critics, Erdogan said the first camp includes countries like Turkey and Germany that want to reform the UN with efforts to address the body's shortcomings.
“The second camp is smaller and includes the United States. This camp prefers to exploit the UN’s weaknesses to undermine the liberal international order, ” he added.
He mentioned how Turkey is hosting 4 million refugees—3.5 million of them Syrian nationals—adding: “Although Turkey is no military or economic superpower, it has emerged as a global leader by becoming part of the solution in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere. ”
Urging an end to the monopoly of a small group of nations and a redefinition of global leadership, Erdogan also said: “If the great powers prove unwilling or unable to act, the community of nations—under the umbrella of the United Nations or other organizations—must do what is necessary. ”
“People from all around the world have an obligation to come together and take necessary steps to promote peace, stability, and security for all mankind, ” he said.
Erdogan urged the UN General Assembly to be “more than a venue for world leaders to make speeches and share complaints ” adding: “This year has to be when we lay down the foundation of a new United Nations system. ”
