In remarks made against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Iran and worrying tensions in the Middle East, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey will stand firmly on the side of peace and stability, but warned that the post-World War II world order “is cracking at its foundations”. “The system established after World War II is literally collapsing,” he said emphatically.
These remarks were made on 3 March during a speech delivered on the occasion of an iftar – the dinner to break the fast in Ramadan – held at Turkey’s Grand National Assembly; during the event, Erdoğan stressed that the international system is undergoing a serious crisis: “The world is becoming hot, it is being made hot. Global injustice is deepening and becoming chronic. While the old order is collapsing, it is not entirely clear what will replace it. The world is being dragged into a chaotic period where brute force and the law of the strongest prevail,” he said, quoted by several Turkish media.
The Turkish leader reiterated that “the system established after World War II is literally collapsing“. “The world is heating up to a point where the smallest spark could start a fire… We are collectively witnessing a shift in the global power axis,’ he declared, warning that the international system is heading towards a more chaotic phase that makes responsible leadership and stronger diplomacy more necessary than ever, in order to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“Those who for years lectured us about rights, are now ignoring those values“
According to Erdoğan, international agreements have become “patches” and international law is increasingly being relegated and replaced by force, while the fundamental principles of the UN system, especially the sovereign equality of all states and the resolution of conflicts through diplomatic channels, are being ignored by the countries that created that very system. “Those who have been lecturing us for years about law, human rights and freedoms, are themselves ignoring these values. They see no problem in violating them,” Erdoğan stated bluntly, claiming that the balance of power in the world is increasingly deteriorating.
The Turkish president stressed that, in an era marked by increasing conflict and the absence of international legality, Ankara’s position is clear: “We are never neutral on issues that concern humanity. We are on the side of peace, truth and the preservation of human life, rather than war,” he continued, stressing that Turkey’s position on any incident that disturbs peace in the region is not one of neutrality, but of support for peace and justice.
Despite growing security threats and tensions in the Middle East, Türkiye – Erdoğan assured – will maintain a cautious and patient approach, although it will be “resolute against bandits”. “While missiles are flying in our vicinity, we will remain careful, cautious and patient, but equally resolute against the bandits, so that not a single hair of any of our 86 million citizens is harmed,” he concluded.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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