US threats failed in UN Jerusalem vote, Turkish PM says

BARTIN

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım on Dec. 23 said the majority of UN member states voted in favor of the resolution on Jerusalem undeterred by U.S. threats.

"Every country made its own decision," Yıldırım said during the ordinary provincial congress of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the Black Sea province of Bartın.

The UN's 193-member General Assembly on Dec. 21 adopted a resolution on Jerusalem with an overwhelming majority, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israel's capital.

One hundred and twenty eight members voted in favor of the resolution, nine countries voted against and 35 others abstained.

Yıldırım said U.S. President Donald Trump's "threats did not work" to influence the outcome.

Trump had warned that aid would be cut to those countries voting against Washington’s move at the General Assembly.

"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us.
Well, we're watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care," Trump told reporters at the White House on Dec. 20.

Yıldırım added: "He tried to threaten but failed to estimate one thing. That is, no matter how great you are, every country in the world with a flag, land and sovereignty will make its own decision and determine its own fate," he said.