Turkey Feature: Erdoğan at UN --- A Blast at Israel, A Criticism of Assad, and a Warning to Cyprus

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, on Thursday ranged from the recent situation in Somalia to the political crisis with Israel to the imminent Palestinian bid for statehood to the "New Middle East" including a failed Assad regime in Syria to the tension with the southern part of Cyprus, which is still not recognised by Ankara.

Somalia:

The poverty and pain I saw in Somalia is beyond words. The Somalian disaster where tens of thousands of children have died is not an issue to pass off with a few sentences. 

It is the disgrace of the international community. Today, the international community is watching the suffering over there as if they are watching a movie. That old colonialist mentality is watching thousands of children in need of a piece of bread. We, as Turkey, build our approach towards Somalia and other countries on the grounds of humanitarian reasons. 

In order to get results from the Somalia-based terrorism and piracy, it is urgent to go through a democratic structure.

Israel and Palestine:

Israel has made a serious mistake to a country that has been friendly throughout the history. And it does not accept its mistake.

The deadlock of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for half a century is a heavy blow to the international law. Israel has not conformed to the UN's 89 decisions. The UN is silent to Israel. This leads to an indignation throughout the international community. 

Israel is the one that uses phosphorous bombs and possesses the atomic bomb. Its rulers raise difficulties in front of peace every day.

The Palestinian lands are under occupation there. The blockade of the Gaza Strip within the occupied Palestinian territories comes to the forefront. In the Universal Human Rights Declaration I read, there is no way for this.

Israel's rulers must make a choice. They must see the fact that the real security comes with the real peace. They must see that it is not possible to maintain the state of conflict in the Middle East permanently. It is necessary to show that Israel is not above the law.

The most important step to be taken in this matter is the Palestine's taking part in the UN. Turkey's support to Palestine is unconditional. 

Our demands from Israel are crystal clear: Apology, compensation and the lift of the blockade of Gaza. We have no problems with the Israeli people. The problem grows out of the aggressive policies of the Israeli government. 

The "New Middle East":

There is a big change taking part in the Middle East. Any sovereignty depending not on the will of the people is not legitimate. There is no legitimacy of a leader pointing gun to his people!

We are glad that our demands have been met in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. However, we are still watching countries giving wring reflexes with deep sorrow. 

We have warned many times the Syrian leader regarding the unacceptable actions took place against the Syrian people and told him to listen to the Syrian people's voice. However, the Syrian government pretended not to hear us. We are waiting the international community to act on this matter as well.

We will continue to be the biggest supporter of the New Libya.

Cyprus:

In 2004, the UN plan showed that there is no will for solution in the southern Cyprus side. 

The target is the new and united Cyprus taking place in the EU. However, the southern side is against this. We cannot accept the southern side taking decision on behalf of the Turkish Cypriots. 

The southern side's initiating unilateral actions on natural gas search in the Mediterranean is terribly a irresponsible behaviour in terms of its timing and its possible consequences. Now, all we expect from the parties is that they shall put great effort in halting these initiatives that can lead to tension not only in the island but in the whole region. Otherwise, we will do what is necessary.