TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is known for clarity of thought and non-compromising posture on issues concerning welfare of the Muslim Ummah, has once again strongly advocated the causes of the Islamic world during his address to the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.
He was most vocal on the issues of Jammu and Kashmir as he urged a solution to the decades-old dispute between Pakistan and India based on the relevant UN resolution that call for a plebiscite to determine the will of Kashmiris.
Turkey is, perhaps, one of the few countries that have a principled and steadfast policy on the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir and it is to be noted that Ankara has been supporting the cause of Kashmiris despite strong protests and reactions from New Delhi.
In this case too, soon after the candid but just remarks of the Turkish leader on the issue of Kashmir in his UN speech, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with his Cyprus counterpart extending Indian support on the issue of Cyprus.
It is a matter of pride for Kashmiris and people of Pakistan that President Erdogan has not deviated from his principled position of his country on Kashmir, ignoring repercussions of his speech for the economy and political interests of his country
. His speech has once again sent a clear message to Prime Minister Modi that the world community rejects his attempts aimed at altering legal and constitutional status of the disputed territory and that the just-minded members of the international community want a peaceful settlement of the issue as per UN resolutions.
The remarks and support of the Turkish President would serve as a source of encouragement to Kashmiris who are struggling against oppressive Indian rule and for their right to self-determination.
