Suspense Crime Sach Ka Dam
New York: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention Kashmir in his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this year for the first time since the repeal of Article 370 in 2019. In his nearly 35-minute address this year, he focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 40,000 people have died in Israeli attacks against Hamas.
What did Erdogan say?
In his address to the United Nations General Assembly this year, Erdogan drew the international community’s attention to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. He accused the United Nations of failing to save civilians from death. Pointing to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, he said, “The world is bigger than these five.” He said, “Gaza has become the world’s largest graveyard of children and women.” He called on Western countries, including the US and major European Union countries, to stop the killings.
What did Pakistan say?
According to the report of ‘Dawn’ newspaper, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has said that there is no change in Turkey’s stand on Kashmir. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch said in a weekly press conference that “no undue conclusion” should be drawn from a mere statement. Baloch said that Turkey’s stand on the Kashmir issue is based on principles.
Trying to join BRICS
Erdogan’s not mentioning Kashmir is being seen as a clear change in Turkey’s stance. This has happened at a time when Turkey is trying to join BRICS, a group of five countries including India. Former Pakistani diplomat and the country’s ambassador to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, has commented on the apparent change in Turkey’s stance. She wrote on ‘X’, “Unlike the last five years, (Turkey’s) President Erdogan did not mention Kashmir in the United Nations General Assembly. He did so in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.”
Erdogan has raised the issue several times
Erdogan, who supports Pakistan, has raised the Kashmir issue several times in the past, which has led to tensions in relations between India and Turkey. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly last year, Erdogan said, “Another step that will pave the way for regional peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia is the establishment of a just and lasting peace in Kashmir through dialogue and cooperation between India and Pakistan.”
India’s clear stand
India has been rejecting Erdogan’s comments as completely unacceptable. India has been saying that Turkey should learn to respect the sovereignty of other countries and this should be reflected more deeply in its policies.
