Merve Aydogan
26 February 2024•Update: 26 February 2024
TORONTO, Canada
Türkiye's permanent representative to the UN on Monday emphasized the necessity for a "realistic, sustainable" peace for the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at the 78th Session of the General Assembly under the agenda of Ukraine, Sedat Onal said, "It is high time that we focus our efforts on crafting the contours of a realistic, sustainable, and above all, a viable peace."
He also urged the international community to "recognize that a peace plan requires the engagement of both sides, in order to achieve progress in the pursuit of diplomacy."
As the war in Ukraine entered its third year, Onal said "the human cost and the physical destruction" are soaring day by day "with profound global implications for international peace and security."
He further continued on by adding that "a state of relative stalemate prevails on the ground, with no end in sight and little prospect for peace."
On Türkiye's position, the envoy affirmed that it "has adopted a consistent position, standing firmly against this war and rejecting the annexation of the Ukrainian territories."
"It has supported the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political unity of Ukraine, since the illegal annexation of Crimea."
Continuing on by stressing the "call for upholding international law and the founding principles of the UN, as enshrined in its Charter," Onal recalled that Türkiye has "consistently emphasized the need to develop pathways for a diplomatic solution that will be shaped through negotiations."
Regarding the Black Sea Initiative, Onal said the stability of the initiative "remains pivotal to avoid further escalation and disruption of the global food market."
"Inspired by this initiative, we are now looking into the possibility of a renewed security framework that will enable safe commercial navigation at the Black Sea," he added.
*Serife Cetin contributed from New York
