"We will not be intimidated": Turkish FM tells UN

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told UN General Assembly emergency special sessionon on Thursday that "we will not be intimidated" before the session was to vote on a draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem.

"Before this meeting, a UN member state threatened all the other members. We were all asked to vote 'no' or face consequences. Some were even threatened with development aid cut," said Cavusoglu, in clear reference to U.S. threats.

The Turkish minister added that "you can be strong, but that does't make you right!"

"Such an attitude is unacceptable. This is bullying and this chamber will not bow to that. It is unethical to think that the worth and dignity of member states are for sale," said the Turkish foreign minister, whose country, together with Yemen, tabled a draft resolution that would make U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital null and void.

Trump has threatened earlier to cut aid for countries that would have voted in favor of the UN General Assembly draft resolution. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has said she would be "taking names."

The UN General Assembly has just adopted the drafted resolution 128-9 with 35 abstentions on Thursday.

Thursday's emergency special session was called after the United States vetoed a draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem at the Security Council on Monday. All other 14 members of the council voted in favor. Enditem