09 January 2017•Update: 10 January 2017
ANKARA
Turkish president has pledged to fight against Islamophobia and xenophobia, which he said "turned out to be a serious security threat for our citizens living abroad".
"Islamophobia and xenophobia will be high on the agenda of our state," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the ambassadors attending the 9th Ambassadors Conference in capital Ankara on Monday.
Erdogan called on Turkish ambassadors from all around the world to carry out "a fight of law, public relations, and civil society" against those circles, which he said "encourage violence, terror, and hatred against our country and citizens".
"We should fight together with other Muslim communities and migrants who are faced with the same problem," he said.
Turkish president said some Western politicians who "are unable to solve" economic and financial issues "cling onto this abuse [Islamophobia] as if it were a life ring".
"And based on that, we are witnessing a rise in attacks against Muslims' places of worship, businesses, and institutions.
"This is playing with fire. Our concerns over the safety of Muslim minorities has risen because of the increasing racism in the West."
About Turkey's ongoing fight against the terrorist organizations, which he named as Daesh, DHKP-C, and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Erdogan said their aim "is to push our country into a fight of beliefs and ethnicities."
Erdogan was also critical of the U.S.-led coalition forces, which he said failed to provide support to Turkey's fight against Daesh.
Referring to the terrorist PYD-YPG forces' presence in northern Syria, he said Turkey would "never allow a terror corridor on its southern border."
He called on the "ally" United States to stand by Turkey "without any hesitation" against "threats coming from terrorist organizations including Daesh and FETO.
"I believe our dialogue will improve with [Donald] Trump's taking over the presidency on Jan. 20," he said.
