Ankara urged the United Nations to play a more effective role in strengthening international solidarity in the fight against terrorism. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hopes that the international organisation will play a leading part in strengthening international cooperation and solidarity in order to fight terrorism on the 71st anniversary of its founding.

In a statement released by the presidential office on Monday, Erdogan said: “As a country that has been fighting against different terrorist organisations for a long time, we hope that the UN takes a leading role in the fight against terrorism.” He continued by saying that UN member states must show solidarity with regards to fighting all terrorist organisations such as ISIS, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), its Syrian arm the Democratic Union Party and the Gulen movement which Turkish authorities accuse of planning the failed coup attempt which took place in mid-July.

Erdogan said that as a founding member, Turkey is “one of the fiercest supporters of the UN and the values the body represents”. He continued by saying “Achieving the basic founding goals of the UN, especially maintenance of international peace and security, doubtlessly depends on reforming it in line with the needs of our day”. The Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also renewed his call for the international community to cooperate in the fight against terrorism on the anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations in a letter that was published on the occasion.