In a speech in New York at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the defense alliance formed by Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had strengthened regional solidarity.
Erdoğan said the structure known as the “Mecca Alliance” had been established with a sense of regional ownership, adding that the aim was to find solutions to regional problems from within the region rather than from outside it.
Call to prevent conflicts from spreading in the Gulf
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue working with the relevant parties to end the conflict and war in the Gulf region. He said no effort to spread the conflicts to neighboring areas would benefit anyone.
Recalling that Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on August 7, Erdoğan said the agreement provided the framework for defense cooperation among the parties.
Emphasis on stability in Syria and Iraq
Erdoğan said Syria had entered a new era following the December 8, 2024 revolution and after 14 years of oppression, adding that the country was moving toward becoming a secure and peaceful state under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa despite provocations from inside and outside the country.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue to stand by the Syrian people. He also announced that they fully supported efforts to strengthen state authority and consolidate stability in Iraq.
Erdoğan said strategic projects were being developed with Baghdad in transportation and energy to increase the prosperity of the region, adding that the Development Road Project was at the forefront of these efforts.
Ukraine’s sovereignty and Black Sea security
Speaking about the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan said Türkiye sincerely wanted the war to end with Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity guaranteed.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue its contacts with the relevant parties to restore maritime transport security in the Black Sea, protect food security and prevent the war from spreading to a wider region. He stressed that the recent attacks on commercial vessels were unacceptable regardless of who carried them out.
Russia has continued its military attack on Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Moscow insists that Kyiv must abandon plans to join Western military alliances to end the attack, while Kyiv views this approach as interference in its internal affairs.
