Erdogan skips Kashmir mention at UNGA as Turkey eyes Brics membership

The next Brics summit is scheduled to take place in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to attend

For the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refrained from mentioning Kashmir in his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). His omission comes as Turkey seeks to join the Brics bloc, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Erdogan expressed Turkey’s desire to deepen ties with Brics in his speech at the 79th UNGA session in New York saying, “We maintain our will to develop our relations with Brics, which brings together emerging economies.”

Brics, which decided last year to expand its membership, will welcome Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as members from January 1, 2024. The next Brics summit is scheduled to take place in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, where Erdogan is expected to attend. If Turkey is admitted, it would become the first North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) member to join the bloc.

Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed plans to meet Erdogan on October 23, amid Turkey’s formal request to join Brics.

Erdogan’s past addresses at the UNGA frequently mentioned Kashmir, making him one of the few global leaders to raise the matter consistently. In 2019, shortly after India’s move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, Erdogan had called for the difference to be resolved through dialogue between India and Pakistan. Over the years, he had repeatedly advocated for a resolution in line with United Nations resolutions, emphasising the need for peace and cooperation between the two nations.

However, in recent years, Erdogan’s references to Kashmir at the UNGA have shifted, dropping mentions of UN resolutions. In 2022, while he expressed regret over the lack of peace between India and Pakistan, he no longer invoked international frameworks for resolving the dispute.

In this year’s speech, Erdogan’s focus was largely on global issues, particularly the plight of Palestinians. “Not only children are dying in Gaza; the United Nations system is also dying, the truth is dying, the values that the west claims to defend are dying,” he said.

Criticising the UN for failing to live up to its mission, Erdogan called for reforms, reiterating his oft-cited statement: “The world is bigger than five,” a reference to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Erdogan also highlighted Turkey’s growing engagement with regional organisations such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Pacific Islands Forum, and Asean.

“We are deepening our engagement with regional organisations, such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Pacific Islands Forum and particularly Asean. We maintain our will to develop our relations with Brics, which brings together emerging economies. We share a deep-rooted history with the Central Asian countries; we further strengthen our cooperation on bilateral and multilateral grounds,” Erdogan said.