Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to be here with you today and address the Bosphorus Regional Cooperation Summit. I would like to thank the International Cooperation Platform (ICP) for this excellent organization.

In only three years, the ICP has established itself as one of the most respected forums where current global issues and various aspects of the fast-changing international system are debated extensively and concrete ideas and proposals put forward. I congratulate the participants once again for their contributions to both, intellectual and political thinking on these issues.

Distinguished Guests,

These are indeed extraordinary times. The geopolitical structures around us are changing at an extraordinary pace.

In the face of this fast circuit of events all over the globe, it is indispensable for foreign policy makers to understand the true dynamics of change.

This is particularly valid for us in Turkey in view of the fact that we have been directly impacted from the repercussions of this fast changing international environment since the end of the Cold War.

Indeed, within the last two decades, Turkey has found itself at the epicenter of an increasingly broadening and strategically crucial geography which has remained in flux since the fall of the Iron Curtain.

That said, our foreign policy vision, which is enshrined in Atatürk’s dictum “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” remains unchanged. It entails first and foremost, the creation of a belt of peace and security around Turkey.

Likewise, our commitment to effective multilateralism and promotion of those values, which have long kept us closely linked with the community of democratic nations, remains intact.

What has changed however, is that Turkey’s growing economy and thriving democracy have expanded its foreign policy capacities wider than ever before.

Today, Turkey is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and that despite the crisis in the EU, our main trading partner. Though there is ample room for improvement, our democracy inspires many across the world and constitutes the backbone of our growing soft power.

Thus propelled by new means, Turkey feels better positioned to carry more responsibilities in steering the course of events in its wide neighborhood and beyond, at this critical juncture.

And when I say critical juncture, I do not only mean post-Cold War dynamics in general, but specifically two simultaneous transformations taking place on both sides of the Mediterranean.

To the north Europe, is embroiled in a deep economic and political crisis, which will ultimately define the future of the European project. To the south, we are seeing the collapse of a century-old status quo of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The trajectories of these two transformative processes are intertwined. The uphill struggle to establish democratic norms and institutions in MENA will impact Europe. We should also consider that a strong Europe with a restored normative power status could have a profound impact on the developments in MENA.

In this regard, let me first share our analysis of the current situation in Europe and how Turkey sees the road ahead.

What started as a mere financial crisis has quickly turned into a political struggle for the European Union. In that respect, the course of European integration will not only impact Turkey, but the entire European neighborhood, which still needs the transformative power of the Union.

If European leaders act in unity and show solidarity in a decisive manner, we firmly believe that the European integration project will continue. The EU has suffered crises before, and emerged stronger from each one. There is no reason why that should not be the case this time as well.

It is important to realize however, that the EU’s current problems are not only economic. The EU should also come to grips with rising xenophobia and particularly Islamophobia across the continent. For the EU to become a globally relevant power again, it needs to remember the values of its foundation and uphold the dictum of “unity in diversity” in full. In other words, the EU should make a clear choice among competing visions for its future.

Once Europe recovers its transformative powers, its impact will certainly reverberate across the other side of the Mare Nostrum. If on the other hand, the EU continues down the path of a fortress Europe, we will all face dire consequences.

For that matter, let me also underline the importance of keeping the enlargement policy alive. As the EU’s most successful tool, enlargement policy should be re-energized and Turkey’s accession process should be allowed to run its course. We should no longer let mistrust and missed opportunities characterize the Turkey-EU relationship.

In fact, given the pressing need to confront the shared challenges of our common neighborhood, the current stalemate of Turkey’s EU accession process is not sustainable. Turkey’s EU membership is a mutually beneficial project and thus the EU must immediately start taking the necessary steps to clear the current deadlock.

Distinguished Participants,

The discussion about Turkey’s EU membership gains a whole new dimension in view of the transformation unfolding across MENA. Turkey’s own political transformation has been followed closely by all the countries in the region as they grapple with the challenges of domestic change.

Therefore, progress in Turkey’s quest for EU membership will also give them additional hope that the values they are now dying for are indeed universal and that it is possible to work together for shared ideals and objectives.

Furthermore, Turkey’s EU accession is an important reference point in the debate among those arguing for a clash of civilizations and those in favor of a harmony between them. Unfortunately, the EU’s current approach towards Turkey’s membership strengthens the arguments of the former.

In any case, what is happening in the MENA region is in itself a breathtaking process. It will change the political and security paradigms as we knew them. In this regard, there is no doubt that the road to building representative political systems based on inclusive institutions is long and arduous. But the process is irreversible.

As such, there will certainly be ups and downs. Yet, the people who started the process on their own are unlikely to yield.

But for that, they need our unconditional support and assistance. And this is precisely how Turkey approaches to this historical transformation. We embrace the emerging leaders with an open mind and offer our steadfast support.

We support them financially, as evidenced by the 2 billion USD of credit agreement we signed with Egypt recently. We support them by means of technical assistance, like the training we have been giving to the Libyan police force. We have also been giving them political support all along the way, including by sharing our own experience.

Although we are pleased to see those countries in transition make important strides in the right direction, the situation in Syria remains a source of utmost concern. Every day scores of innocent people are dying and thousands are fleeing to neighboring countries like Turkey, which now hosts close to 140.000 Syrians.

Based on our special historical ties, we will continue to support the Syrian people in their rightful struggle for dignity. To this end, we have adopted an open door policy for the desperate people running away from the brutality of the Assad regime. Despite immense security implications and massive financial burden, we will continue to fallow this policy.

However, this tragic situation cannot continue. We have to find a way to start a peaceful transition process without further delay. Otherwise the prolongation of the crisis will not only deepen the strife of the Syrians, but will also foment sectarian and ethnic tensions all across the region.

In this regard, it is imperative that the international community start acting in unity and ensure that Assad steps aside to allow the true representatives of the country to assume ownership of their own future. So far, the UN Security Council has been regretfully inactive. But that must change.

In fact, just yesterday, the Group of Friends of Syrian People met in Morocco with more than 130 countries. And the will of the international community has yet again been stated very clearly. Now is the time to act upon it.

Distinguished Guests,

On this point let me underline one other important issue. While trying to make sense of the dynamics which underpin this sudden change in MENA, we must bear in mind that the main trigger for the Arab uprisings was the quest for dignity.

In that regard, one conflict which has been hurting the feeling of dignity the most across the region gained even more urgency in this radically changed political landscape of the MENA. I am talking about the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Yes, the frustration with Israel’s policies has not figured prominently during the uprisings. However, I can confidently say that the Arab-Israeli conflict will come forcefully to the front once regimes accountable to their people are placed in power. In that sense there is no doubt that this issue retains its centrality in the stability of the region.

Therefore, the Israeli government should reconsider its policies vis-à-vis the Palestinian question if it does not wish to further increase its isolation.

Of course the issue has gained a whole new dimension as the Palestinians gained their rightful and much belated status of statehood at the UN. Let me reiterate what Minister Davutoğlu said while attending personally at the historic voting at the UN on 29 November: It is not an option but an ethical, political, strategic and legal obligation for the international community to recognize the State of Palestine.

This is precisely what drives Turkey in its approach towards the Palestinian question. And we will continue to do all we can to support a two-state solution whereby the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital will live side by side with Israel in peace and security.

Distinguished Guests,

As could be seen, steering change in the right direction and consolidating security and stability in our region pose considerable challenges in view of highly fluid geopolitical environment in our region.

This challenge has been materialized particularly in our southern neighborhood. And I have not yet even touched upon Iraq and Iran.

We never think of interfering in the domestic affairs of any other sovereign country. However, the possibility of an ethnic or sectarian escalation in Iraq is doomed to have a direct impact on Turkey. In fact, Iraq is too important for the entire region that no one can afford to remain indifferent.

In that regard, we will continue to encourage Prime Minister Maliki and all other political groups to avoid sectarian divisions and work together for the unity of Iraq. Territorial integrity and political unity of Iraq continue to be the main tenets of our policy vis-à-vis Iraq and nothing can change that.

On another important issue at our doorstep, we will also not be a bystander to the escalating tension on Iran’s nuclear program.

This is why we are committed to facilitate diplomatic dialogue among the parties and ensure a peaceful solution of the matter. In this regard, we also do not see the utility of unilateral sanctions as it does not yield the desired impact and make dialogue even more difficult.

Distinguished Guests,

So far, by touching upon some of the important topics of today, I have tried to put into perspective what Turkish foreign policy stands for. But let me reiterate once again that Turkish foreign policy is first and foremost geared towards building peace and stability around its neighborhood.

That is why you see Turkey constantly pioneering regional cooperation projects in all directions, be it in the Balkans, the Black Sea, the Caucasus or the Middle East.

Situated at the epicenter of the Eurasian geography, Turkey feels part and parcel of all these regions and actively seeks to contribute to the security, stability and prosperity of each and every one of them through various cooperation initiatives.

Having said that, Turkey’s foreign policy cannot be confined to its immediate regions. In today’s globalized world, every country carries global responsibilities. Turkey too, will bring its political, economic and cultural assets to the table, and make a global impact.

And it is in this frame of mind that we continue to increase our profile in international organizations such as the UN and the G-20 or keep sponsoring global initiatives such as the Alliance of Civilizations, Mediation for Peace or Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

Our growing humanitarian and development assistance to those in need, ranging from Somalia to Syria, Rohingya/Myanmar to Gaza are also examples of our global commitments and human-oriented diplomacy.

Distinguished Guests,

There is no doubt that we are going through an extremely difficult time. It is one of those critical transitions the outcome of which will have a vital impact on the future of the world.

Turkey’s commitment to make a positive difference in this process in cooperation with its friends and partners is an asset for everyone concerned.

Thank you.