New York: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again referred to the issue of Kashmir in his address to world leaders at the high-level UN General Assembly session.

Last year also, Erdogan in his pre-recorded video statement to the General Debate had made a reference to Jammu and Kashmir.

India at that time termed it as “completely unacceptable”, saying Turkey should learn to respect the sovereignty of other nations and reflect on its own policies more deeply.

Erdogan in his address to the General Debate on Tuesday said: We maintain our stance in favour of solving the ongoing problem in Kashmir for 74 years, through dialogue between the parties and within the framework of relevant United Nations resolutions.

The Turkish President, a close ally of Pakistan, had repeatedly raised the issue of Kashmir in his address to the high-level General Debate.

He had also raised the Kashmir issue during his visit to Pakistan last year.

In his address on Tuesday, the Turkish President also referred to China’s minority Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Myanmar’s Rohingya during his address.

Erdogan said that within China’s territorial integrity perspective, we do believe that more efforts need to be displayed regarding the protection of the basic rights of the Muslim Uyghur Turks.

“We also support ensuring the safe, voluntary, dignified return of Rohingya Muslims, who are living in difficult conditions in camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar, back to their motherland,” Erdogan said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with his Cyprus counterpart Nikos Christodoulides during which he emphasised the need to adhere to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions in respect to the Island nation.

Tweeting about his meeting with Christodoulides, Jaishankar on Wednesday said: “Working to take our economic ties forward. Appreciated his regional insights. Important that relevant UN Security Council resolutions in respect of Cyprus are adhered to by all”.

Jaishankar’s tweet came hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a reference to Kashmir in his address to the UN General Assembly.

The long ongoing conflict in Cyprus began in 1974 when Turkey invaded the northern part of the country in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Greek government.

India has been advocating a peaceful resolution of the issue in accordance with the UN resolutions.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on Monday to participate in the high-level 76th session of the UN General Assembly, will also participate in the Foreign Ministers meeting of the G20 Nations that will focus on Afghanistan.

PTI

Press Trust of India