Turkish President Erdogan raises Kashmir issue in UNGA speech: 'Should be addressed through dialogue'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the Kashmir issue during his address at the United Nations General Assembly and said that it “should be addressed through dialogue”.

“In South Asia, it is important that all disputes, including the Kashmir issue, be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the United Nations Charter and of relevant resolutions,” Erdogan said during his address.

This is not the first time Erdogan has spoken about the Kashmir issue during his UNGA address. Last year too in September, he had called for a resolution for the issue of Kashmir at UNGA.

“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,” he had said.

India had reacted sharply to the Turkish President's remarks, making it clear that the matter is strictly bilateral and does not require involvement from outside parties.

"Our stand on the Kashmir issue is very clear, there has been no change in it. As far as mediation is concerned, there too, there is no need for any third party to mediate on the bilateral issues between India and Pakistan," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had asserted.