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What is the reason behind Erdogan's silence on the Kashmir issue at the UN?

Five years ago today, on August 5, 2019, when India announced the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, there was a reaction from all over the world. Countries like China and Turkey openly opposed the decision.

While India objected to Erdogan's statement, Pakistan welcomed it.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been raising his voice on the Kashmir issue and criticizing India every year since 2019 at the annual United Nations General Assembly.

But this time, Erdogan did not even mention Kashmir during his address to the United Nations General Assembly.

Erdogan's move came as a shock to many. It is being said that Turkey remained silent on Kashmir in the United Nations General Assembly because it is trying to join the BRICS group.

Addressing the 79th UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Erdogan said that we want to develop our relations with the BRICS countries. “This will bring us closer to the emerging economies of the world.”

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined the BRICS in January this year. The annual BRICS summit is being held in Russia from October 22 to 24 next month and all member countries are expected to participate in it.

What are people in Pakistan saying about Turkey’s move?

In the last five years, Turkey is the only country besides Pakistan to have raised the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly. But this time Pakistan is also surprised by Turkey’s move.

Pakistani journalist Mariana Babar wrote on X that “Erdogan has surprised many people by not mentioning Kashmir in his address to the UN.” She asks what is the reason for this change?

Shireen Mazari, leader of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former minister, wrote on X that “This is a failure of our diplomacy.” Since 2019, the Turkish President had been vigorously raising the Kashmir issue in the UNGA every year because the then government of Pakistan was on the front foot globally.

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, has written that ‘for years, Pakistanis have been talking about resolving the ‘Kashmir dispute’ through UN resolutions. Let alone the Pakistani Prime Minister, none of the 193 members of the UNGA has even mentioned Kashmir.’ He asks how genuine Pakistan’s feelings are regarding Kashmir?

Journalist Razi Tahir, calling it ‘Pakistan’s failed foreign policy’, wrote that ‘the Kashmir issue was not discussed at all at the UN meeting, for the first time since 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention the Kashmir issue in his speech. In the last five years, Erdogan was the only head of state besides Pakistan who had consistently raised the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly.’

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also gone to New York to address the UN General Assembly. He also met the Turkish President there this week. Sharing a picture of the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif wrote the caption, ‘Meeting with Pakistan’s best friend and my brother President Erdogan. We both have assured each other of our support on global issues.’

Former Pakistani diplomat Maleeha Lodhi has also termed Erdogan’s silence on Kashmir as a failure of Pakistan. Maleeha Lodhi wrote, ‘Unlike the last five years, President Erdogan did not mention Kashmir during his address to the UN General Assembly. Erdogan raised the Kashmir issue from this platform in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.’

 

Getty Images, Image sourceGetty Images

Why was Erdogan silent this time?

Speaking to BBC Hindi, Indian Ambassador to several Gulf countries, Talmiz Ahmed said, ‘Erdogan’s attitude has changed. Earlier, he used to support the ideology of political Islam. But for the past several years, it seems that they are distancing themselves from it. Nowadays, they are not looking at regional issues from the perspective of political Islam.’

Ahmed said, ‘Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt do not support the ideology of political Islam. Erdogan is increasing relations with these three countries. If you increase relations with these three countries, they have their own ideas. In such a case, they will have to give up their old politics.’

He says, ‘The closeness with Pakistan is also because of Erdogan’s political Islam. If this policy weakens, Pakistan will also not be very suitable for Turkey.’

So, is it not India’s success that Kashmir was not mentioned in the UN General Assembly?

Talmiz Ahmed says, ‘I do not believe so because it does not matter to India.’

He says, ‘Erdogan did this not for India but for his own interests. The current Indian government is giving more importance to domestic issues. India’s position is that we do not attach importance to any such statement.’

Talmiz Ahmed says that ‘Erdogan has changed his attitude since 2021. He believes that relations with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt should be increased. The economy is more important for him. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have kept a lot of money in Turkish banks. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have distanced themselves from political Islam and Turkey is also following the same path.’

‘It is obvious that Saudi Arabia and the UAE also do not mention Kashmir in the UN and their emphasis is more on trade with India.’