President Erdogan calls for action against Islamophobia at the UN General Assembly

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scrutinised the spread of Islamophobia in his address to the 74th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, calling it the most dangerous peril of our time. 

The president blamed the rhetoric around the migration influx in recent years as one which he argued lead to Muslims being the number one victims of racism.

"It is our fundamental duty to adopt an inclusive public rhetoric to eradicate this foe once and for all," he stated addressing the international community.

He said that due to Turkey's position between the East and the West he is ready to take a central leadership role on this regard. 

Erdogan also requested the UN to designate 15 March, the day marking the violent Christchurch attacks, as an 'International Day for Solidarity against Islamophobia'.

On other topics, the president added that "efficient functioning" of the Constitutional Committee is "critical for political and territorial unity of Syria".

He called on UN members to back Turkey's efforts in securing Idlib in order to avoid mass migration and massacres. 

The president also called for nuclear power to be forbidden for all, or to be available to all - without exception - alluding to the present political tension between Iran and the US on the topic of nuclear arms.  

On the subject of Palestine, Erdogan called on the international community to provide "concrete support to Palestinians beyond mere protests".