Turkey

I should like to start by extending our warmest congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session, as well as our full support. I also wish to pay tribute to Mr. Jan Kavan, the President of the General Assembly at its fifty- seventh session. The memory of the many innocent people who lost their lives during the horrors of 11 September, and that of many other victims of terror all over the world, including in my country, are still very fresh in our minds today. We also mourn the painful loss of our United Nations colleagues. They were working in the service of the international community to secure peace and to uphold human dignity in Baghdad. The loss of Sergio Vieira de Mello was particularly tragic for us, as his visit to Ankara two weeks before his tragic death unfortunately turned out to be his last. Terrorism is a crime against humanity. We are duty-bound to eradicate that evil from the face of the Earth, and soon. We must also not forget that there are other major challenges that remain to be addressed, namely, poverty, illiteracy, organized crime, the problem of narcotics, ecological disasters, epidemics such as AIDS, the issue of refugees, the illegal trade in human beings, gender inequality, corruption, racism and xenophobia, among others. In the new global security environment, there is a clear and pressing need to strengthen international organizations and institutions. The United Nations is at the top of that list. The many challenges facing the world today underline the central role of the United Nations, as has been highlighted so eloquently by the Secretary-General. The efforts to adapt this unique Organization to the realities of today’s international life should be resolutely pursued. The world needs a more representative, effective and efficient United Nations. In close cooperation with the United Nations, Turkey has accumulated vast experience over the years in the areas of regional cooperation, peacekeeping and conflict prevention. We have also shown a strong will to solve our bilateral foreign policy problems. Today we have very good relations with some neighbouring countries with which we experienced difficulties in the recent past. We are also doing our best to contribute to the solution of problems in the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caucasus. In order to promote harmony among civilizations, we convened a meeting last year in Istanbul between the European Union and the countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Next year, both the NATO summit and the OIC’s ministerial meeting will be held in that city. My Government’s reforms at home reflect a sustained effort to promote democracy, human rights, 5 the rule of law, civil society, good governance, accountability and gender equality to the highest standards set by the United Nations and the European Union. The results show that national and spiritual values can be in perfect harmony with contemporary living standards. Integration with the world is not possible without bringing our values and traditions into harmony with modernity. It is on the strength of that increasingly relevant Turkish experience and on the strength of the richness of our ties with the international community that Turkey has decided to present its candidature for a seat in the Security Council for the years 2009-2010. The situation in the Middle East will remain of crucial significance for the evolution of the international environment for some time to come. We do not believe that the Middle East is condemned to eternal strife and suffering. This is one cradle of civilization that had enjoyed peace and prosperity for centuries. That is why we believe that it is feasible today to transform the Middle East into a region of security, cooperation and prosperity. There is an urgent need today for a fresh start in the region. The situation in Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict are at the core of efforts to bring stability to the region. The events of this year have brought Iraq to the beginning of a new era. All of us need to help the Iraqi nation in its formidable task of building a united, free, democratic and prosperous future. It is therefore highly important for the Security Council to agree on a mandate responsive to the needs of stabilization and reconstruction. Iraq is our close neighbour. That country’s future and the future of the region’s stability are inter-linked. In the Middle East we are again witnessing a cycle of terror and violence that is taking hostage all efforts towards peace. We view the restoration of the channels of communication and dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis as the most urgent task at hand. We believe that sending the elected President of the Palestinian National Authority into exile cannot serve any good purpose. We call upon the Israeli Government to review its position. At the same time, we urge the Palestinian side to make every effort to prevent further terrorist attacks. Turkey has close ties with both Israelis and Palestinians. We remain ready to contribute to the implementation of the road map, to which we believe there is no alternative. We are also willing to contribute to the improvement of the security environment as needed, and to the alleviation of the harsh living conditions of Palestinians. In order to achieve progress, resources have to be utilized rationally and to the benefit of the people, as the Iraqi case has shown. The need for reform is not a novelty in the Middle East. What may be new is the growing recognition that progress is dependent on political and social factors, as well as on economic ones. Gradual steps towards more representative and accountable structures are being taken by a number of countries in the Middle East. They deserve the encouragement of the international community. The world needs the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. It does not need them to proliferate. The inherent logic of that argument has been recognized by the community of nations that have adhered to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We strongly support the efforts aimed at increasing membership in non-proliferation agreements and regimes. My country’s regional policies are shaped by our desire to achieve durable peace and greater cooperation in our neighbourhood. I have already outlined our approach with regard to the Middle East. The Balkans, which is to our west, was in turmoil until recently. That region has come to enjoy relative peace and stability in the past two years. International organizations, notably NATO, the European Union, the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, played a major role in that turnaround. However, the situation in certain parts of the region should continue to be monitored on an ongoing basis, as it is a potential source of destabilization. We are determined to further enhance our relations with Greece within the current process of constructive dialogue. We are pleased with the progress achieved so far, as highlighted by my Greek colleague, Mr. Papandreou, in the statement he made this morning. We have already covered considerable ground. We are convinced that the ongoing dialogue and the resulting atmosphere of mutual confidence will serve the interests of both Turkey and Greece. Turkey sincerely desires a lasting political settlement establishing a new partnership in Cyprus. This issue has been with us since 1963. Attempts to distort the facts in the island will not help efforts aimed 6 at a comprehensive settlement. We continue to support the good offices mission of the Secretary-General. A new partnership in Cyprus should be based on a compromise between Turkish and Greek Cypriots and on equal status. Furthermore, a settlement should preserve the bizonal character of the island and ensure the security of the Turkish Cypriot people. At the present stage of the situation in Cyprus it is necessary to create a basis for substantive negotiations. The opportunity created by President Denktas’ latest proposals, which are designed to overcome the lack of confidence between the two sides, should be seized. Indeed, the Greek Cypriot side, instead of trying to take advantage of the prospect of its unilateral accession to the European Union, should act in a spirit of goodwill and contribute to the negotiating process. All embargoes and restrictions imposed upon the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus should be lifted as a matter of priority. The Caucasus is another strategically important area of great interest to Turkey. The long-standing conflicts there must end, and good-neighbourly relations and regional cooperation should be given a real chance to flourish. The problems of Nagorny Karabakh and Abkhazia still endanger peace and stability in the entire region. Turkey expects Armenia to fully comply with the relevant United Nations resolutions in order to find a prompt and just solution to the Nagorny Karabakh conflict. The peaceful settlement of this conflict will contribute to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations and to regional cooperation. As regards the Abkhazian conflict, Turkey believes that a peaceful settlement should be reached within the context of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political unity of Georgia. Close historical and cultural bonds with Central Asia constitute one of the pillars of our Eurasian vision. We have developed mutually beneficial bilateral relations with the Central Asian States since their independence. We should make substantial efforts to improve regional stability and security and continue to support those States with a view to their further integration into the international community. We all know that the security of Central Asia is inseparable from global security. Traditionally a close friend of Afghanistan, Turkey has contributed for many years to the rehabilitation of that country. We are pleased that the Bonn process has so far been implemented successfully, despite numerous difficulties. We commend the performance of the Transitional Administration in this respect. The success of the Bonn process will depend to a large extent on greater support from the international community. We firmly believe that it will not be possible to establish global stability unless peace, security, democracy and sustainable development are promoted in Africa. Recent trends in the management of crises in Africa, as well as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, give us fresh hope in this regard. In conclusion, I should like to stress that Turkey is determined to remain a major contributor to peace, security and stability in our region and beyond. Turkey pursues a multidimensional foreign policy that is active in various regions. We believe in the vital role of the United Nations and its increased relevance in the present international environment, and we are committed to promoting the effectiveness of our Organization.