Parliament Speaker Kurtulmuş announces Turkey's final decision on Israel

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş spoke at the session titled "Promoting Global Peace Through Dialogue: How Can Parliaments Make an Impact?" at the 10th MIKTA Speakers' Consultation, which consists of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia, held in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.

"HAS SUFFERED GREAT DAMAGE"

Expressing that it is important for world peace that the parliament speakers of MIKTA member countries from different geographical regions of the world come together to develop consultation mechanisms to produce solutions to world problems at a time when the world is going through such an important process and experiencing major debates and conflicts, Kurtulmuş stated that a significant portion of the major problems encountered in the world are man-made, and that it is necessary to work very carefully to solve the problems created by humans, especially wars, occupations, and oppression.

Kurtulmuş said, “Two of the three main pillars of the United Nations have suffered great damage. One of these is peace, and the other is security. The UN has gone far beyond being an organization that establishes peace and security in the world.”

Pointing out that the world is currently witnessing the most significant regional conflicts since the Second World War, Kurtulmuş said, "According to international reports, we know that we experienced 183 regional conflicts in 2023. We are facing many humanitarian crises. Unfortunately, the world and the global system are becoming dysfunctional in solving these," he stated.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Stating that he would like to draw attention to two important issues in the region where Turkey is located that closely concern the whole world, Kurtulmuş said, “One of these is the war that has been going on for nearly 3 years between Russia and Ukraine just to our north. The heavy humanitarian losses caused by this war are seriously wounding the system in the world. Neither the UN nor any other international organization can put forward a perspective to resolve this war,” he said.

Kurtulmuş also stated that the Russia-Ukraine war carries a great risk of evolving into a total war between Russia and the West, far beyond being just a war between two countries, and added, "Furthermore, it is clear what great damage this war has caused to the world, not only in military terms but also in terms of food and energy security.

As Turkey, we have considered it an important goal to keep all kinds of meetings and diplomatic negotiation processes open until the end in order to reach a mutual solution since the beginning of this crisis. But unfortunately, despite being very close, a lasting and fair peace has not been achieved between the two countries to date,” he said.

ATTACKS ON GAZA

Parliament Speaker Kurtulmuş emphasized that the ongoing clashes between Israel and Gaza in the south of Turkey have taken on a global, total nature that concerns all of humanity, far beyond being just a regional crisis, and stated that the heavy massacres and crimes against humanity committed by Israel in Gaza, which have been going on for over 7 months and now amount to genocide, have caused 35 thousand people to be torn from life.

"HUMANITY WILL NEVER FORGET"

Emphasizing that these attacks have caused a massive civilian loss, 70 percent of which are women and children, Kurtulmuş said, "Humanity will never forget that brutality where babies in incubators died and were killed while struggling before the eyes of 8 billion people.

Therefore, the world must learn a lesson from this war and these ongoing massacres of humanity and achieve a result. I would like to express once again that we appreciate the search for justice initiated by the Republic of South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice. As Turkey, I would like to state here that we will also intervene in these court proceedings in accordance with Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice,” he said.

Kurtulmuş said that although the international system remains silent against this shame of humanity continuing in Gaza, people in many parts of the world, in European countries, the USA, Latin America, Asia, and African countries have taken to the streets, and university students and intellectual circles are not remaining silent against this genocide; they are striving to fulfill their responsibilities to establish a new and fair world system.

A REFERENCE TO A FAIR SYSTEM

Parliament Speaker Kurtulmuş pointed out that people with a conscience, whether religious or non-religious, are not remaining silent in the face of this injustice and are in search of justice, saying, "We are very pleased to see that humanity is forming a new front of humanity. We hope and pray that all these developments can strengthen the hand of the international community to establish a lasting and fair system together on earth," he said.

"THE GREAT POWERS HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE"

Stating that there is a need for a new system in the world, Kurtulmuş said, "As my Korean colleague just expressed, the great powers have nothing left to give to the world. Middle powers must mobilize their own resources and fight for the establishment of a new world based on the principles of equity, justice, conscience, and fairness. Otherwise, we will continue to meet in more international meetings, talk more about the destructive consequences of wars, and negotiate more around national and universal ideas in search of peace,” he said.

Kurtulmuş emphasized that two basic principles must be accepted for the establishment of a new and fair system, saying, "At the very beginning of these comes the principle of the equality of people in creation. No human being has superiority over another. Regardless of color, language, religion, or social class, no human being can have a millimeter of superiority over another. No view that does not accept the equality of people and believes in the existence of a hierarchy among people by creation can bring peace to the world. The second is that there is no difference between states.

A distinction such as great states, powerful states, and weak states can never be accepted. Just as the equality of people in creation is the fundamental idea, the equality of states in sovereignty is the fundamental idea. It is possible to establish a new world system that puts a new, lasting, and fair peace at its center, based on these two; in fact, it is essential and necessary beyond being possible.

In this context, I believe that these ideas on how we can ensure peace, justice, and equity in the international system at this MIKTA Conference are extremely valuable areas of discussion. And I hope that the discussions to be held here will lead to the establishment of a new world system,” he said.

News Source: İHA