Turkey's Erdogan raises Kashmir issue at UNGA

Turkey's Erdogan raises Kashmir issue at UNGA

ANKARA, June 25, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Front) addresses lawmakers of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara, Turkey, on June 25, 2019. Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday vowed to learn lessons from "the messages that given by people" in June 23 re-elections in Istanbul at which his ruling party suffered a historic blow. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya/IANS)

New York, Sep 25 (IANS) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday raised the Kashmir issue in the United Nations, and said the stability and prosperity of South Asia cannot be separated from Kashmir.

In his speech before the UN, Erdogan said that despite the UN resolutions "eight million people are stuck" in Indian Kashmir.

He said that for a safe future it is imperative to solve the issue of Kashmir through dialogue rather than conflict.

Erdogan said that the 72-year-old Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue on the basis of justice and equity.

"Despite the resolutions adopted, [India-occupied] Kashmir is still besieged and eight million people are stuck in Kashmir," he said.

Erdogan criticised the international community for failing to pay attention to the Kashmir conflict.

"In order for the Kashmiri people to look at a safe future together with their Pakistani and Indian neighbours, it is imperative to solve the problem through dialogue and on the basis of justice and equity, but not through collision," said Erdogan.

His speech came after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met Erdogan on the sidelines of 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York earlier in the day, and discussed with him bilateral relations and the latest situation since India's "illegal and unilateral actions" of August 5 to revoke special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan media reported.

--IANS

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