President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered remarks at the Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit
Speaking at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, President Erdoğan said: “The tragedy unfolding in the occupied Palestinian territories, Gaza in particular, has now exceeded the limits of humanity’s tolerance. November 20th, which was 2 days ago, was the World Children's Day. Unfortunately, nearly seven thousand innocent Palestinian children did not live to see that day.”
Thanking Prime Minister Modi of India for bringing together the G20 leaders once again after the New Delhi Summit, President Erdoğan said: “Our last summit reaffirmed the leading role of the G20 in addressing global challenges.”
President Erdoğan also expressed his sadness over the tunnel accident in Uttarakhand and extended his get-well-soon wishes.
Stating that with the admission of the African Union as a permanent member, which Türkiye strongly supported, the G20's sphere of influence has increased even further, President Erdoğan said: “We have found it very appropriate that attacks targeting holy books are also condemned in the G20 Declaration.”
Noting that one of the items to be followed upon after the New Delhi Summit was the development of multilateral development banks, President Erdoğan said: “Global growth has started to slow down due to a number of factors such as tightening financing conditions, geopolitical tensions, increasing protectionist tendencies in international trade, climate change and environmental problems. I believe that the G20 should assume a leading role in this area. One of the fundamental elements of development is to make all members of the society part of this endeavor. In this understanding, as you know, we led the establishment of the Women 20 Group during our 2015 Presidency. With the newly established Working Group on Empowerment of Women, we are further strengthening the step we took in Antalya.”
“WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ARE OPENLY BEING COMMITTED IN GAZA”
“Since the New Delhi Summit, the global challenges we face have unfortunately become more diversified and complicated,” President Erdoğan said: “The effectiveness of the multilateral system is increasingly questioned with every passing day. While the war in Ukraine continued, we woke up to another crisis on October 7th. The tragedy unfolding in the occupied Palestinian territories, Gaza in particular, has now exceeded the limits of humanity’s tolerance. November 20th, which was 2 days ago, was the World Children's Day. Unfortunately, nearly seven thousand innocent Palestinian children did not live to see that day, because the Israeli government took away the most basic right of these children, their right to live. It condemned them to death by cutting off their water, electricity, food and fuel. It has forced Palestinians to migrate from their homeland; it has mercilessly bombed the hospitals, schools, camps, places of worship and churches where they took refuge in a last hope to escape death. It has even threatened to use nuclear bombs, the existence of which they have always denied. As any conscientious person can attest to, none of these events can be explained with the right to self-defense. Here, war crimes and crimes against humanity are openly being committed. Those who commit these crimes must be held accountable to international law as well as the conscience of humanity.”
“We in no way justify actions against civilians and we do not consider them legitimate,” President Erdoğan said. “I call on all leaders here to react in the same way to civilian deaths, without discriminating among them as Israeli-Palestinian, Jewish-Muslim-Christian.”
Describing the declaration of a four-day humanitarian pause and the agreement to exchange of hostages and detainees, albeit a limited number of them, as a positive development, President Erdoğan said: “I hope that this step will lead to a lasting ceasefire and peace, which is our priority and which we expect to be established as soon as possible.”
“WE ARE READY TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE NEW SECURITY ARCHITECTURE”
“We are closely following the talks on the establishment of a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages,” President Erdoğan said. “With the latest developments, we have all seen once again the importance of the establishment of an independent State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East al-Quds as its capital, living in peace side by side with Israel.”
Calling on the leaders to take the initiative for a two-state solution as soon as possible, President Erdoğan said: “As Türkiye, we are ready to assume responsibility with other countries in the new security architecture that needs to be established, including guarantorship.”
Stating that Türkiye continues to provide humanitarian aid to the region, President Erdoğan said: “So far, in cooperation with our Egyptian brothers and sisters, we have sent 11 planes and a civilian ship full of 666 thousand tons of aid supplies to El Arish. We are continuing the treatment of the wounded, especially cancer patients and children, by transferring them to Türkiye. I call on you, my friends, to take the necessary steps to ensure the uninterrupted supply and delivery of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza.”
Thanking India for hosting the meeting, President Erdoğan wished success to Brazil, the next President of G20.
