UPDATE 2 - Armament in Mideast, Asia-Pacific could bring world to ‘edge of cliff,’ Turkish foreign minister warns

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER; EDITS THROUGH

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday said that armament in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region is on the rise and warned that this could bring the world on the “edge of the cliff, ending up with a nuclear war threat.”

“As history reminds us, the vicious circle of armament race and mistrust can bring the world on the edge of the cliff, ending up with the nuclear war threat,” Fidan said at TRT World Forum 2024 in Istanbul.

Stressing that the global system is facing two conventional wars simultaneously, all of which have global repercussions, Fidan said Türkiye is “just at the center of these wars.”

"The stability in the Middle East, South Caucasus, and the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the Black Sea is a primary goal for us," he said.

Fidan said that the international system is facing political, military, economic, and environmental challenges, emphasizing that humanity is going through a critical geopolitical period in response to these challenges.

The UN, an organization created for the “maintenance of international peace and security," failed to fulfill its mission, he added.

Noting that the challenges facing the world could lead to deep unpredictability for the international system, Fidan underlined that the current international system is far from offering solutions to this unpredictability or any crisis.

The genocide in Gaza is the most glaring sign of the legitimacy crisis within the international system, said Fidan, adding it casts a shadow over the credibility of multilateral institutions.

He pointed out that this situation requires a multilateral response.

He also highlighted that Türkiye, by adopting a principled and effective stance, has contributed constructively to the resolution of conflicts by acting as an honest mediator, facilitator, and negotiator, engaging in intense diplomatic efforts between the parties.

Mentioning that increasing polarization is becoming more evident, Fidan said: “This intensifies the search for new alliances and partnerships. As a result, the international security architecture is, as you all know and witnessing, weakening.”

"No order can be sustainable if it is not based on justice," Fidan added.

The foreign minister underlined the need to reform global communities in various areas, including political, economic, and justice.

Israel's expansion of its attacks toward Lebanon and Iran demonstrates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's “delusion,” said Fidan, pointing out the hypocrisy of the global systems in not stopping the Israeli attacks.

The minister urged the global community to urgently increase pressure on Israel to halt its attacks.

He underlined that this policy is not seen in many countries, and it must be clearly stated that there is an obvious double standard in this regard.

Fidan also stressed the significance of addressing the “root cause” of the Gaza crisis to achieve peace and security in the Middle East.

The root cause of the problem is Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, he added.

There is another issue that must be addressed to maintain global security, Fidan noted, referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and said a large number of civilians had lost their lives during the war, and significant infrastructure had been destroyed.

Fidan also pointed out that the war had impacted defense, food, and energy security.

He said this situation has further intensified polarization and reinforced fragmentation.

He stressed the importance of prioritizing diplomacy and dialogue to end the war through a permanent cease-fire and a lasting peace agreement.

Türkiye approaches both the Gaza crisis and the Russia-Ukraine war from the same perspective, maintaining a principled stance on both conflicts, Fidan added.

Fidan also said techno-politics is affecting the international balance, noting that artificial intelligence and cybersecurity systems are also increasing the perception of threats.