国际英语新闻:Turkey welcomes UN resolution on U.S. Jerusalem decision

ANKARA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Thursday welcomed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)'s rejection of a U.S. decision on Jerusalem's status, and called on the U.S. administration to rescind its decision without delay.

"We welcome with great pleasure the UN General Assembly's overwhelming support for a historic resolution on Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem)," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on his official Twitter account.

"We expect the Trump administration to rescind without further delay its unfortunate decision, whose illegality has been clearly established by UNGA," he added.

In a statement, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the UN resolution "created a new opportunity for peace efforts" in the region.

Turkey would continue to side with "its Palestinian brothers, humanity, Jerusalem, justice and those who are oppressed," he noted.

Turkey's presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also hailed the UN resolution, describing the vote "historic" for Jerusalem, Palestine and international justice.

"Today, the General Assembly clearly rejected the U.S. decision on Jerusalem. There was solidarity for Palestine and Jerusalem's status in the General Assembly," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in New York after the voting.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag tweeted that the 128 countries "showed that they, as sovereign and independent countries, did not surrender to the clear threat and oppression of the U.S.."

The UN resolution "showed that Palestinians and Jerusalem are not alone," he said.

"Although the resolution is non-binding, it will be very effective as it defines legitimacy against threat and blackmailing," Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik wrote on his Twitter account, saying the UN decision is "a turning point."

The UN on Thursday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution on Jerusalem, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the holy city as Israel's capital.

A total of 128 members voted in favor of the resolution, nine voted against and 35 others abstained.