UN's Ban: "The region needs Erdogan's leadership and mediation"

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday telephoned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his regret at Erdogan suddenly leaving the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, following a contentious seminar that he also attended. Saying that he had been unable to meet with Erdogan in the wake of the seminar, Ban added that its moderator had unfairly prevented Erdogan from expressing his views. "We know that the Middle East will get through this thorny and painful process," he added. Ban stressed that the region needs Erdogan's leadership and mediation. For his part, Erdogan reiterated that Turkey is always ready to do its part to promote peace in the region.