Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called on Islamic countries to make greater efforts to support a political settlement in Syria and to eliminate the threat of terrorism emanating from its territory.
"One of the problems that has plagued the Islamic world for more than 10 years is the conflict in Syria. Turkey hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees on its territory, is making efforts to resolve the conflict within Syria's borders, it calls on Islamic countries to show more support for efforts for a political settlement in that country," Erdogan said in Istanbul at a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). It was broadcasted by TRT television channel.
The Turkish president criticized the actions of certain Western countries supporting the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its Syrian wing (People's Self-Defense Forces) under the pretext of fighting the Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia) terrorist group. "We are determined to eliminate the terrorist organization [PKK], which is a threat to our country, as well as the territorial integrity of Syria and Iraq," he stressed.
Erdogan also assured that Turkey will continue its efforts to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, preserve the status of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
According to the Turkish president, the existing problems can and should be solved through diplomacy and the grain deal and the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, which was achieved with Ankara's active participation, "proved that a diplomatic solution to the differences is possible".
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS