Turkey, 2001

This meeting is being held at

a most difficult hour. The terrorist attacks carried out in

New York and Washington, D.C., cast a long shadow

over this session of the General Assembly. But we must

stand united, drawing the right conclusions from this

catastrophe. The date of 11 September has made it

clear that terrorism is now humankind’s number-one

enemy, and that it must be addressed with the utmost

seriousness and determination.

We share the American nation’s grief. We

reiterate our full support to the United States

Administration in its efforts to track down those

responsible and to bring them to justice. As a country

that has lost so many of its citizens to terrorism,

Turkey deeply feels the grief of this tragic event.

To combat terrorism efficiently and to develop a

strong coalition of United Nations Members against

terrorism, certain principles should guide our collective

effort. First, terrorism does not have a religion or a

geography, and there can be no justification for

terrorist acts under any circumstances. Secondly, the

use of double standards is the main obstacle to the fight

against terrorism. Thirdly, we have to be conscious of

the fact that terrorism is a global phenomenon.

No ideal, no cause and no end can justify

terrorism. We should avoid spurious justifications for

deliberate killing. To identify terrorism with any

religion is a sacrilege against all religions. We strongly

condemn those who couple the name of a religion with

a definition of terrorism or terrorists. To fight this

dangerous trend, we fully support all initiatives aimed

at dispelling these erroneous approaches.

We commend the ongoing mutual efforts of the

United Nations, as well as several other initiatives. In

this context, Turkey has proposed an informal forum

between members of, and aspirants to, the European

Union and the Organization of the Islamic Conference

(OIC) to discuss, from a political perspective, issues

pertaining to harmony among civilizations. We have

the initial support of the relevant organizations and of

several countries. We hope to hold this conference by

February 2002.

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Terrorism does not have a geography. The same

terrorism manifests itself in different countries all over

the world, both in the West and in the East. To be

serious and effective, the anti-terrorist struggle has to

be all-encompassing and deal with all terrorist centres,

activities and logistics. It should address all countries

that harbour and tolerate terrorism or that are

indifferent to terrorist groups that incite or actively

plan, finance or command terrorist operations executed

in another country.

Being drawn into the trap of double standards in

defining or in dealing with terrorism inherently

provides support for terrorism. Unfortunately, we have

been witnessing several cases of double standards. I

will try to give some views on this particular subject.

There is an unfortunate de facto distinction made

in the conceptual approaches of several countries

between “bad” terrorists, who work against a particular

country, and tolerated terrorists, who, while enjoying

safe haven in the same country, incite, plan, finance

and sometimes command terrorist acts in another. My

country, as well as several others, has been victim of

this double-standard approach. Groups implanted in

foreign countries openly advocate the use of terrorist

means under all sorts of pretexts. Their activities and

messages — which call for violence, and sometimes

for assassination — are freely propagated and are

sometimes transmitted through the authorized media in

their host countries. In short, acts and calls that would

draw an immediate reaction if they were the acts and

calls of indigenous terrorists targeting their own

country are ignored and tolerated when they emanate

from guest terrorists targeting their country of origin.

This unfortunate distinction between terrorists that hurt

others but not us and the prevailing double standards

have to be overcome if we are serious about fighting

terrorists.

Terrorism is a global phenomenon that crosses

borders, and the fight against it requires effective

international cooperation. Security Council resolution

1373 (2001) in particular provides a clear road map

regarding the steps to be taken. We hope that all

Member States will fully comply with this

groundbreaking resolution. The establishment of the

Counter-Terrorism Committee to monitor

implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) is a major

development.

We welcome the joint declarations of 14 and 21

September 2001 by the European Union. Turkey

aligned itself with both, and we expect their prompt

and resolute implementation. The European Union is in

the process of identifying terrorist organizations and

their support networks. The list of terrorist

organizations to be drawn up by the European Union

must not be restricted only to the geographical area of

its members. It should definitely include those groups

that finance, plan and command terrorist activities in

other countries.

There is a drastic need for vigilance and further

cooperation between the relevant authorities, namely,

the justice and interior ministries of all countries. A

drastic change in attitude is imperative.

In order for it to be credible and effective, the

anti-terror struggle has to be comprehensive and deal

with all terrorist centres. It is also incumbent upon all

United Nations Member States to adopt the existing

international legislation and to review national laws

accordingly. International efforts to combat terrorism

cannot be fully effective in the absence of a global

convention in this field.

The draft comprehensive convention on

international terrorism now under discussion in the

working group established by the Sixth Committee

seems to be our best chance to address this

shortcoming. Although all participants have displayed

remarkable flexibility, the working group has failed to

resolve two central and interrelated issues: the

definition of a terrorist offence and exclusions from the

scope of the convention. I wish to take this opportunity

to call upon all States to make an additional effort

towards finalizing the convention.

In combating terrorism, we cannot ignore the fact

that this scourge feeds on deteriorating social,

economic and political conditions. Illiteracy,

destitution, bigotry, racism, social and political

injustice and similar sources of grievance all play a

role in creating fertile ground for terrorism. The gap

between the richest and the least fortunate nations of

the world keeps widening at an alarming pace. Threats

such as illegal mass migration, corruption, drugs and

arms smuggling, money laundering and other types of

organized crime are on the increase.

It is our collective responsibility to find lasting,

viable solutions to these problems. Developing nations

must focus on ways of achieving sustainable economic

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growth, on improving income distribution, education

and justice and on addressing other social needs.

Developed nations must be more forthcoming in debt

relief, must increase development and humanitarian aid

and must allow greater access to their markets.

Today, the United Nations and its Member States

face a mutual challenge. The name of this challenge is

Afghanistan, and it has two dimensions: to combat the

terrorist network, which, by exploiting the Afghan

people’s plight, has taken root in its geography; and to

support the revival of Afghanistan, of the Afghan

identity, by ensuring peace, stability and economic

development.

Turkey is resolutely committed to meet this

challenge; we fully support the United Nations efforts

and those of the Special Representative, Mr. Brahimi.

Turkey worked together with the Afghan people from

the 1920s to the 1960s; and it resumed cooperation

again in the early 1990s. We believe that concerted

international action, with sound principles and

effective means, is of crucial importance. I will try to

elaborate on some suggestions.

First, it is the Afghan people themselves who will

rebuild their identity and their country. Our task is to

assist and support their efforts — not to dictate who

will run their country, and how. In this respect, regional

and tribal affinities should be encouraged to merge into

a single Afghan identity and assume a secondary role

as sub-cultures. This is capital for Afghanistan.

Secondly, all countries, either neighbours of or

involved in Afghanistan, should be discouraged from

relying on particular Afghan groups as their primary

allies and should refrain from pursuing their special

interests through those groups.

Thirdly, while the fight against terrorism and its

supporters goes on, special care must be taken to

ensure that innocent civilians are kept out of harm’s

way. All humanitarian support should be provided,

organized and facilitated.

Fourthly, in regions and cities of Afghanistan

freed from terrorist oppression, the United Nations and

involved forces should act immediately to ensure

security and relief. The success in providing for basic

needs and displaying the ability to produce a better

future will be paramount in expanding positive changes

to other parts of the country. Setting a successful

precedent would serve as the best catalyst.

Fifthly, and finally, everyone seems to agree that

the future administration and Government of

Afghanistan should reflect all ethnicities. It should also

encompass all political trends that have not resorted to

terrorism. In this process, overemphasizing or

undermining the role of any group in the country would

be counterproductive. It is evident that in the process

of rebuilding Afghanistan, the United Nations has to

play a leading role. It is the duty of each and every

Member State of the Organization to contribute to this

gigantic task.

I will touch upon one more issue, and the rest will

be distributed in the paper that I have prepared. This

last issue is: Cyprus. The Cyprus issue has remained

for 38 years. This subject is one that is known to the

United Nations. As the dates for some radical changes

in Cyprus through the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral

accession to the European Union seem to be suggested,

and as Turkey considers these changes potentially

dangerous for the two parties and for the whole region,

this issue needs further attention. Any artificially

imposed solution that is not mutually acceptable to

both nations in the island and to the guarantor countries

is bound to create a severe crisis. Turkey, as well as the

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), aspire

to a mutually acceptable solution, sought through all

possible means.

A unilateral act by the Greek Cypriots, in

violation of the 1959-1960 system, and pretending to

represent both nations, contradicts the legal framework

and the realities of Cyprus. The legal and practical

realities do not permit any party in the island to decide

unilaterally to enter any international body of which

both Turkey and Greece are not members; and any such

decision has to be taken mutually by the two co-

founders.

Through formal decisions of their parliaments

and Governments, both Turkey and the TRNC have

declared that they will not accept any solution that is

not freely negotiated and mutually accepted. Both

Turkey and the TRNC have also made it clear that they

reject any such development, which would make the

Turkish Cypriots a minority under Greek Cypriot rule.

The Turkish Government will not allow the resurgence

of a situation that in 1964 and 1974 caused massive

crimes to be committed against the Turkish Cypriots.

Turkey and the TRNC are for a solution based on

the realities of the island. There are two distinct nations

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with different religions, languages and cultures with

two separate States and democracies in Cyprus. The

confederation proposal of President Denktaş deserves

serious consideration. We also support the Secretary-

General’s Mission of Good Offices and his efforts to

start a new phase of talks. In order to succeed, this

initiative should depart from sufficient common

ground.

Turkey welcomes the recent proposal of President

Denktaş to his Greek Cypriot counterpart that they get

together informally, without any preconditions, and

discuss all relevant issues in order to find a way

forward. The refusal of the Greek Cypriot party is in no

one’s interest.

The tragedy of 11 September can be viewed as an

omen of what can happen if the slightest carelessness is

shown towards any of the old and new threats the

world faces in the modern age, be they terrorism,

environment or poverty.

All I have said points to the need for the strong

commitment of Member countries to efforts aimed at

the shaping of a better future. I point as well to the

need to strengthen and streamline the United Nations,

with all its principal organs. This General Assembly

session of 2001 is a meaningful link in the chain which

the international community has forged to meet the

growing challenges of the new century. With realism

and courage we shall succeed.