Erdoğan calls for support to Albania amid quake
ISTANBUL
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Nov. 27 called for urgent support to Albania, as the country mourned dozens of people killed in an a 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Nov. 26.
“Here, we have a duty. We, especially, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC] should take the steps a donors meeting will take and take our place in Albania regarding the demolished buildings. I believe us taking this step will be very beneficial,” Erdoğan said, while addressing the Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Islamic organization in Istanbul on Nov. 27.
“This is also a duty of fraternity,” he added.
Erdoğan said he held two phone conversations with Albanian Premier Edi Rama on Nov. 26, after he heard about the quake, to offer his condolences.
“The cities were in a total wreck,” he said.
Turkey has promptly sent aid to Albania over the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
“As a country, which suffered from great earthquakes in the past, we understand Albania’s pain,” Erdoğan said.
“We should all stand with Albania when it comes to the medical treatment of the injured or providing shelters to those who lost their homes,” he added.
'Israel is putting the world in danger'
Erdoğan also urged the world to show a strong stance against Israel’s policies in Palestine, saying Western countries’ support of those policies has increased the conflict in the region.
“Israel, who does not respect Palestinians’ right to life, property and work, is putting the region’s as well as the world’s future in danger,” Erdoğan said.
“As Turkey, we are determined on defending the privacy of Jerusalem,” he added.
Erdoğan also stressed the importance of Jerusalem for three religions, saying those “looting” the holy city is doing “wrong.”
“The West’s spoiling of Israel does not do anything other than stirring up the conflict,” he said.
The president also said that the spread of Islamophobia has become quite widespread, and the Islamic countries face many threats from terrorism, domestic conflicts to ignorance.
“Unfortunately, Islamic countries are the ones in which poverty and hunger is felt the most. Our natural resources make Western countries richer, not our public,” he said.
Erdoğan once again repined about the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, underlining that there is no Muslim country among the members.
“These are the realities even if we say, ‘The world is bigger than five,’” Erdoğan said.
“Let us not deceive ourselves by saying there are two Muslim countries amongst 15 temporary members,” he said.
Erdoğan also reiterated his call to restructure the United Nations’ mechanisms.
“The UNSC should be shaped with respect to the demographics of the world,” he said.
The president also praised the OIC, saying it is the second active organization, followed by the United Nations.
“We should be aware of our power and capacity. We should act as brothers in all dimensions, technics, trade, culture or social,” Erdoğan said.
“I am sorry to say that a much darker future awaits the Muslim diaspora if we do not act jointly towards attacks from the West,” he added.
