UPDATE - Erdogan: Turkey rejects ‘fait accompli’ in Jerusalem

UPDATED WITH MORE REMARKS; REVISED DECK, STORY REVISED THROUGHOUT

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey stands against efforts by some to create a "fait accompli" in the holy city of Jerusalem, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

"We reject efforts to create new fait accompli in Jerusalem," Erdogan told the 5th Summit of Heads of State of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital.

Erdogan said Turkey takes an active stance on the Palestinian issue.

He also called on all countries to respect UN resolutions on the city as well as Jerusalem’s historical and legal status.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the perennial Mideast conflict, with Palestinians hoping East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

- Syria

Speaking on the Syrian issue, Erdogan said Turkey is doing its best to end the civil war in Syria and ensure stability there.

He reiterated that Turkey hosts nearly 4 million Syrians, more than any other country in the world.

Turkey is fighting against the terrorist groups Daesh and the YPG/PKK, both of which threaten Syria's future, he added.

The president also said efforts to eliminate terrorist groups by using one to fight another only lead to more bloodshed, in an apparent reference to the U.S. working with the YPG/PKK to fight Daesh.

Turkey has cleared 4,000 square kilometers of Syrian land of terrorist groups, he said, adding: "We have enabled 330,000 Syrian refugees to return to their homeland.”

Turning to the disputed region of Kashmir, Erdogan said Turkey supports resolving the issue through dialogue between Pakistan and India based on relevant UN resolutions in line with the expectations of the Kashmiri people.

On the plight of the oppressed Rohingya people, he added that Turkey is closely following their situation and hopes this humanitarian crisis will end as soon as possible.

Finally, Erdogan reiterated that Turkey supports efforts to end violence and establish peace in Afghanistan.

Following the conference, Erdogan held bilateral meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.