Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies, Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be in Algeria. It is also a great honor to be able to address such a distinguished gathering. I would first like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my dear friend, Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria for inviting me. He has been an excellent host of this important meeting.
Algeria has always played an important role in the Non-Aligned Movement since its membership at the Summit of Belgrade in 1961. Let me pay tribute to Ben Bella and Boumedienne of Algeria who influenced the Movement’s role on national liberation and the need for economic independence.
Let me also warmly greet my Iranian brother and colleague Dr. Muhammad Javad Zarif as the Chair of the Movement. Turkey follows with interest the recent important steps taken with a view to reinforcing the Non-Aligned Movement based on the Bandung principles.
Excellencies,
The extensive transformation of the international political and security environment continues with constant, fundamental and rapid change. The new millennium only increased the pace of this change. Today we are faced with deeper global crises with political, economic and social aspects.
As mentioned in Bandung principles, peace and security could only be secured through a strong unity of will among nations based on equality, respect and promotion of mutual values and cooperation.
Turkey has the means to make a difference in this environment not only because of its experience due to its location in close proximity to existing conflict areas and potential new threats. More importantly, Turkish foreign policy is based on securing and nurturing a peaceful, stable, prosperous and cooperative regional and international environment that is conducive to human development.
This is why I had been looking forward to meeting with you and exchanging views on the recent challenges that we face.
Let me mention some of the main values and achievements of our multi-dimensional foreign policy.
• Turkey employs an active, multi-dimensional foreign policy that aims to reconcile the West with the East and the North with the South.
• Turkey takes both the advantage of its geographic disposition and close historical and cultural ties across a vast landscape promoting dialogue and interaction between civilizations at the heart of Eurasia and Africa.
Our UN- endorsed initiatives of Alliance of Civilizations with Spain and also Mediation for Peace with Finland are two inspiring examples of our role in promoting and encouraging peace through greater cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect in the international fora.
As the number of the Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations grows, which is now more than 130, the Alliance endorses a deeper cooperation among states involving international organizations and NGOs to eradicate extremism, hatred, and xenophobia.
This initiative highlights mediation as an effective means of conflict prevention and resolution, reinforcing the role of the UN in tandem with regional organizations.
Turkey will host the third annual Istanbul Conference on Mediation 27-29 June under the theme of “Increasing Role of Regional Organizations in Mediation”. We are committed to continuing our active efforts to enhance mediation and conflict resolution.
Distinguished Colleagues and Friends,
The multi-dimensional character of Turkish foreign policy is also reflected by Turkey’s membership in a wide range of leading international and regional organizations. Turkey has accumulated over the years a vast experience in regional arrangements like NATO, OSCE, OECD, Council of Europe, South East Europe Cooperation Process, Stability Pact in the Balkans and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. At the same time, Turkey’s membership in the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation and the Economic Cooperation Organization provides it with a unique role in the Muslim world.
In fact today, there is hardly any regional organization around the world that Turkey has not developed a substantive relationship, from ASEAN to African Union and to Organization of American States. In the very near future, we are expecting to be an associate observer in the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.
Turkey’s presence is continually increasing across regions ranging from Africa to the Pacific, Latin America and Oceania.
• The number of our representations around the world has reached 222.
• We are planning to open 26 more representations in the near future.
• Turkey is going to be the fifth most represented country in the world.
Turkey’s Africa opening is a demonstrative case in point. In line with the priorities set out by our Africa Strategy, we have undertaken a comprehensive policy in this continent, fostering close political relations and boosting bilateral trade. As a Strategic Partner of African Union, Turkish Foreign Ministry is leading the effort by establishing diplomatic presence across the continent.
• The number of Turkish embassies in Africa will rise to 39 by the end of 2014. (Currently its 35)
• In 2009 there were only 11 African Embassies in Ankara. Today this number reached to 28.
• Turkish Airlines has become a major international airline connecting the continent to the world with a total number of flights to 46 destinations in 28 countries in Afrika.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Turkey strives to strengthen its relations with countries. In that respect, Turkey is able to call its bilateral relationships with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea as “strategic”. Our strong historical and cultural ties allow us to maintain excellent relationships both with Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
We have also enhanced our diplomatic presence in the region by opening up four new missions, in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Brunei in the last two years.
With Latin America and the Caribbean we have developed intensive relationships through trade and enhanced relations with regional institutions and organizations. We have opened new diplomatic missions in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Panama. Our trade volume with the region has reached 8 billion Dollars. This marks a nine-fold increase in ten years.
Excellencies,
Throughout the history of the UN, Turkey has contributed to maintaining peace and security, by actively taking part in many UN peace-keeping missions. Turkey has contributed troops, equipment, observers and civilian police officers to international missions within the framework of the United Nations, NATO and OSCE, including in Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Hebron, Georgia, East Timor, Afghanistan, Congo, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Haiti, Lebanon and Sudan.
Peacekeeping is fundamental but not enough for perpetual peace. Sustainable development is the key factor for long-term stability and that conditions of poverty and economic problems sow the seeds of conflict. In other words, we view the provision of humanitarian aid as well as development assistance, as a means to contributing to international peace and stability, thus to achieve long term peace and stability.
Turkey has been a leading actor in extending humanitarian and technical assistance to its neighbors as well as other countries in need around the world.
Turkey combines humanitarian and development assistance with a holistic approach.
• Turkish International Development Agency (TIKA), with its 39 coordination offices in 37 countries around the globe plays a major role in technical cooperation and coordination.
Turkey helps build schools and hospitals and provides equipment, as well as training courses for personnel through TIKA as well as other institutions and civil society organisations. Accordingly, Turkey is keen to share its development experience with its partners especially in the Non-Aligned Movement.
• Turkey now ranks the fourth largest donor world-wide, according to the Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2013.
• Turkey’s total development assistance reached 3.5 billion US Dollars in 2013. (2.5 billion Dollars through public entities as official development assistance, 735 million Dollars by the Turkish private sector in direct investments, and around 112 million Dollars by Turkish NGOs through their own resources.)
As a result of its active policy in humanitarian field, Turkey will be hosting the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 in Istanbul.
Excellencies,
All this above have levied on Turkey a special responsibility to actively contribute to the preservation of regional and global peace and stability. Consequently Turkey decided to present its candidature for the Security Council for the term 2015-2016. We believe that, as a member of the Security Council, we will be better equipped to bring further contribution to international peace and security as well as to cooperation and development, which are closely interlinked.
If elected to the Security Council, like during its previous membership, Turkey will continue to pursue a policy centered on human rights and dignity promoting respect, tolerance and harmony. Prioritizing initiatives of mediation and preventive diplomacy, we will carry on and extend our contribution to UN initiatives on conflict resolution and peace building.
As in the past, we will continue to reflect the concerns, views and positions of NAM countries it is with this mind-set that we will be serving in the Security Council, if we are elected for the term 2015-2016.
Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to express my warm gratitude to our hosts and the representatives of the Non-Alignment Movement for the success this event.
Thank you.