ISTANBUL, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday praised the reactions of New Zealand's government and its people to the recent terror attacks on two mosques which left 50 people dead.
"(New Zealand's) Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's reaction to the terror attack, empathy and solidarity with all Muslims should be a model for all the leaders," Erdogan said at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states in Istanbul.
Erdogan voiced his appreciation of the presence of Winston Peters, New Zealand's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, at the meeting.
"It is great to have the New Zealand's officials here, which is very meaningful to us, to all the Muslims as well as the families of the victims," he said, adding that "I would like to convey my gratitude to each one of you."
Erdogan also urged Western media outlets and politicians to avoid marginalizing Muslims and demonizing the refugees, saying the OIC cannot be indifferent to incidents that threaten the future of all humanity and the Islamic world.
"Just as humanity fought against anti-Semitism after the Holocaust disaster, it should fight against rising Islamophobia in the same determined fashion," he said.
