Following Recai Kutan’s death, his remarks on the D-8 draw renewed attention

Istanbul (Zeynep Sener) -Former Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Founding Chairman of the Saadet Party, Recai Kutan, passed away on October 7, at the age of 94, in the hospital where he was treated in Ankara. After Kutan’s death, his statements on the D-8 countries came to the public agenda again.

In his statement before his death, Recai Kutan emphasized that D-8 countries are an international organization built on intellectual and political foundations that can play a major role in world peace and the economic development of member countries. Kutan stated that the D-8 Organization was established on June 15, 1997, as a product of the belief and outstanding efforts of the 54th Prime Minister of the Government, Necmettin Erbakan, and said, “D-8s are the greatest gift of the 20th Century to the 21st Century. It is like a door opening to light at the end of the 20th Century, which was filled with wars and conflicts from beginning to end.”

Kutan criticized the inadequacy of civil and military sanctions against Zionist Israel’s brutal genocide in Gaza and stated that the lack of activity of D-8 countries in the Islamic world created this gap. He stated that the following universal principles of D-8 are a gospel of salvation for humanity:

Not war, peace.

Dialogue, not conflict.

Not double standards, justice.

Not superiority, but equality.

Cooperation, not exploitation.

Not oppression and domination, but human rights and freedom.

Kutan stated that these principles determined by D-8 are of great importance not only for the member countries, but also for the development of oppressed and exploited countries all over the world and for realizing the aspirations of a “New World”. Kutan called on member countries, especially Türkiye, to take the necessary steps and fulfill their responsibilities in this direction in order for D-8 to regain the dynamism of its founding days and to establish a free Palestinian State.

As UCWEP, we wish God’s mercy to Mr. Kutan and offer our condolences to his family and loved ones.