Turkey urges ground action against Islamic State

"We see a deeper problem. The situation is now unsustainable as Islamic State gains a global character. We must extinguish the danger before it hits more countries," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, while addressing the attendees of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Istanbul.

Turkey's leader stressed that U.S. airstrikes targeting IS bases provide only "a temporary solution," while adding that world leaders need to take "urgent steps" by fighting not just in the air, but on the ground.

"Peshmerga (Kurdish) forces which have already been fighting inside Iraq and the Iraqi army should be part of it so that the ground activities will get stronger," he said, emphasizing efforts to train fighters to combat the Islamic State should be done quickly.

Erdogan's comments come as Turkey is struggling to grapple with a growing refugee crisis at its increasingly fragile borders. The country shares more than 1,000 km of borders with both Iraq and Syria and is hosting 1.5 million refugees.

"We have to ensure the security of our borders," he said, adding that a no-fly zone and safe zone should also be established immediately in the region.

The Turkish president backed the U.S.-led coalition conducting airstrikes against Islamic State targets, advocating that attacks "target both Iraq and Syria."

Erdogan also criticized the United Nations, saying it was ineffective in resolving world problems or addressing threats. He called for immediate reforms to the UN Security Council, which has five permanent members, suggesting a rotation system should be adopted.

"The world is not slave of only five countries (the five permanent members of the security council). The world is bigger than five. It cannot be possible that only the five countries determine and dominate the faith of the world. The other 195 member countries should have the same chance," he added.

Numerous heads of states and government representatives attended the two-day special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Istanbul.

Participants plan to discuss ways to build national and cross- regional initiatives and alliances, thereby unlocking underemployed economic resources for the benefit of all.