Turkey, 2003

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,

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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

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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.