Turkey President Erdogan rakes up Kashmir Issue at UN General Assembly: ‘We hope…’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday stated that Turkey was “pleased” with the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, the Turkish president also called for a resolution for the issue of Kashmir.

“We are pleased with the ceasefire achieved following the tensions last April between Pakistan and India, which had escalated into a conflict… The issue of Kashmir should be resolved on the basis of the resolutions of the UN, for the best of our sisters and brothers in Kashmir, through dialogue, we hope,” Erdogan said at UNGA.

While this is not the first time Erdogan has raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, his remarks come after he skipped a mention of the Indian territory during last year’s General Assembly.

In 2024, Erdogan skipped mentioning Jammu and Kashmir in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. This shift came amid Istanbul’s bid to join the BRICS bloc, of which India is an integral part.

However, earlier this year, during a visit to Pakistan, the Turkish president called for a resolution for the Kashmir issue through dialogue and a U resolution.

“The Kashmir issue should be addressed according to the UN resolution through dialogue and keeping in mind the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. Our state and our nation, as in the past, stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers today,” said Erdogan.

The Turkish leader’s remarks were met with a strong protest by India. As per an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, India rejected the objectionable comments made by the Turkish leader.

“Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. No other country has any locus standi to comment on it. Instead of commenting on internal affairs of another country, it would have been appropriate if Pakistan’s policy of using cross-border terrorism against India, which remains the biggest threat for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, had been called out,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.