Turkey's Erdoğan urges new groundwork for world peace
Speaking during an entrepreneurship congress in Istanbul on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in his televised speech that "Let's lay down a new foundation for peace in the world and let's not let rain down bombs on these countries at random, not allow the pounding of barrel bombs."
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 12:00 | 16 April 2018
- Modified Date: 01:58 | 16 April 2018
Turkey's president on Monday urged a new groundwork for peace in the world, one where countries are no longer bombed with random justifications.
"Let's lay down a new foundation for peace in the world and let's not let rain down bombs on these countries at random, not allow the pounding of barrel bombs," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told an entrepreneurship congress in Istanbul.
Erdoğan also criticized Saturday's U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria in the wake of alleged usage of chemical weapon by the Assad regime, pointing out that conventional weapons have killed far more civilians in the country.
"They came and said 'chemical weapons' and attacked... [saying] 'We attacked over the usage of chemical weapons'," said Erdoğan .
"I say, why you are only looking at chemical weapons? Why you are not assessing conventional weapons? If one person dies from chemical weapons, 10 people die from conventional weapons."
The U.S., U.K., and France early Saturday launched airstrikes on the reported Assad regime chemical weapons facilities in Syria.
The strikes came after the Assad regime allegedly carried out a chemical attack in Douma, Syria, killing 78 civilians and injuring hundreds of others.
Erdoğan also criticized "imperialist powers" for not taking in Syrian refugees while Turkey plays host to around 3.5 million Syrians.