President Erdogan calls for Muslim unity

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the Istanbul meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Wednesday.

"As long as Muslims and people defend justice and freedom, Palestine will continue to exist," Erdogan told the meeting.

Erdogan said Turkey will encourage its people to visit Jerusalem "so occupiers will not dim the lights of the holy city."

Erdogan said international organisations have disappointed Muslims over Palestine and civil wars, although Muslims pressed them for solutions.

"From Syria to Iraq, Yemen, Palestine, the crisis and the bloodshed in the region stem from the lines drawn after World War I," Erdogan said.

"We should not fall into trap of those who give more weight to a drop of oil than a drop of blood," Erdogan said.

Erdogan also reiterated his call for reform in the structure of the UN Security Council, calling it a "must".

"Using national currencies in trade among Islamic countries is important for liberation from imperialist shackles," he said.

"If millions are poor and starving in Yemen, Muslims are responsible for that and not others," he said.

Erdogan said increasing trade among members of the OIC’s economic cooperation committee makes them strong.

He urged Muslim countries to complete procedures to make preferential trade system a "reality."