Hours after Erdogan rakes up Kashmir at UNGA, India calls for respecting UNSC resolutions on Cyprus

Hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a close ally of Pakistan, raked up the Kashmir issue in his address at the UN General Assembly in New York, India called for respecting UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus.

In his address on Tuesday, Erdogan 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.”

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

Hours after the Turkish president’s speech, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during a bilateral meeting with his Cyprus counterpart Nikos Christodoulides, emphasised the need to adhere to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions with respect to the east Mediterranean island.

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Tweeting about his meeting, 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”.

Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup. North Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey, while the Republic of Cyprus, run by Greek Cypriots, is internationally recognised.

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

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.

(With inputs from agencies)