Erdoğan blames dictators for bloodshed in Middle East

DOHA / ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

PM Erdoğan speaks in his recorded video message for the UN Alliance of Civilizations meeting in Doha yesterday. AA photo

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said “dictators” were to blamefor shadowing peace and stability in the Middle East yesterday, calling to end the bloodshed and tears and restore peace.

“As long as there are dictators who open fire and massacre their own people and cannot bear any opposing views or action, there will not be peace and stability in the Middle East,” said Erdoğan in his recorded video message for the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations meeting in Doha, Qatar yesterday.

“Bloodshed and tears must end in the Middle East,” he said at the meeting hosting participants from more than 130 countries, including U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. He urged the solution of what he said “chronic problems” of the Middle East to restore peace in the region and all across the world. 
There will not be a hope for peace in the Middle East as long as state terror continues, reconciliation efforts are sabotaged, innocent children are bombed and innocent people are kept in open-air prisons, said Erdoğan. 

Turkish prime minister received huge applause when he raised the issues of justice, Gaza, Syria and Arab revolts, said İbrahim Kalın, the director of the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Office of Public Diplomacy said via Twitter yesterday. Erdoğan, who had been scheduled to attend the forum, cancelled his trip as he underwent a laparoscopic surgery in his digestive system Nov. 26. Erdoğan referred to the Mavi Marmara flotilla incident, in which Israeli soldiers killed nine Turkish citizens trying to defy embargo on Gaza strip last year in May.

“While we were struggling for global peace, prosperity and justice in Rio [during a meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations last year], unfortunately peace, prosperity and international law was violated, sabotaged in the Mediterranean,” Erdoğan said referring to Israel’s Mavi Marmara raid.

Before the alliance’s meeting in Rio, a report was released on how to restore peace in the world, said Erdoğan adding that this report revealed that the main element that escalates the tension between the West and Islam is the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Also commenting on Palestine, Erdoğan expressed sorrow over the decision made by the United States after Palestine’s UNESCO membership was accepted. “We, as Turkey and Qatar, are ready to fulfill our responsibilities,” he added.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay attended the forum. Ban Ki-moon warned of the need to raise funds for the alliance of civilizations during his meeting with Atalay Dec. 10 in Doha, according to a written statement of U.N. spokesperson’s office.