Agenda

Turkish Foreign Policy:

· 2005 in retrospect

· Prospects for the year ahead

by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah GÜL

In the following article, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül outlines some of the main achievements of Turkish foreign policy in 2005, reviews the state of Turkey’s relations with its major partners. He goes on to explain some of Ankara’s priorities for the coming year, ranging from the Cyprus issue to the Alliance of Civilisations and from energy cooperation to the fight against terrorism.

2005 was a good year for Turkish Foreign Policy.

EU accession negotiations started as of 3 October 2005. This was a historic development towards the objective of full membership.

Turkey, together with Spain, has become the co-sponsor of the “Alliance of Civilizations” initiative launched by the Secretary General of the United Nations. The aim is to provide a significant added value to the ongoing efforts for promoting cooperation and harmony among different cultures.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline was officially inaugurated. It constitutes the first leg of the energy corridor that will link the East and the West via Turkey. The first oil from the pipeline is scheduled to be delivered to world markets from Ceyhan in early 2006.

The resumption of the Middle East Peace Process has provided us with new responsibilities and opportunities which we seized through several bilateral and trilateral initiatives. The new tripartite platform of Turkish, Israeli and Palestinian businessmen to promote economic and commercial relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is a case in point.

The Democracy Assistance Dialogue which we co-sponsor together with Italy and Yemen has been put into action in Istanbul by a meeting on the empowerment of women in public life and it has since become a truly supporting element for the ongoing reform efforts in the region.

Turkey assumed the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF VII) in Afghanistan for a second time between February and August 2005. Prime Minister Erdoğan paid a landmark official visit to Afghanistan, the first visit at this level in more than 30 years.

For the very first time in the history of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Secretary General was appointed through a democratic election process as a result of which a prominent Turkish professor has taken the helm of the Organization and started steering it towards reform and effective action.

Our policy of opening up to Africa started yielding positive results, as evident by a series of high level visits and the commemoration of 2005 as the Year of Africa in Turkey. The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) established its first regional office in Addis Ababa.

This is not an exclusive list but it is indicative of the fact that Turkey has been an active player for peace and stability both in its region and beyond.

A prosperous New Year?

The first month of the new year is the best time to look forward and consider what further can be accomplished.

The primary objective of Turkish foreign policy remains to help secure a peaceful, prosperous and cooperative regional and international environment conducive to human development.

In addition to the relations with the countries of our immediate vicinity, the EU accession process, the NATO alliance and relations with the US have traditionally been leading items on our foreign policy agenda. They still are.

We are also well aware that the Asia-Pacific region will be the epicentre of economic and political dynamism in the 21^st century. Our relations with the region are developing at a good pace. New horizons are also emerging in Latin America and Africa. 2006 will be the Year of the Americas in Turkey.

Turkey regards its EU membership as a milestone to confirm and consolidate the founding philosophy of the Republic. What Turkey has accomplished in this respect could not have been done if the Turkish public had withheld its overwhelming support. The democratic aspirations and demands of the Turkish people will guide us as the main driving force towards EU membership. We will continue our relentless work to fulfill the objective membership criteria through comprehensive reforms. The political, strategic, economic and cultural benefits of Turkish membership of the Union are also widely acknowledged today. In 2006, world public opinion will better understand that having Turkey as a member will be an asset for the EU in its quest to become a global actor.

Commitment to NATO

Our commitment to NATO and our close partnership with the United States remain as firm as ever. The U.S.-Turkish partnership has long served the interests of both countries. I believe that we will continue to share common goals, ideals and interests regionally and globally with the United States. Even if time tests us with new experiences, the ultimate direction manifested by common sense and realism points to a strong solidarity between our two countries. Turkey believes that there is an immense potential yet to be tapped in relations with the United States.

Turkey has been contributing to a culture of conciliation and cooperation with its neighbours by promoting closer political and economic ties in its region. As our improving relations with Greece explicitly attest, we will continue to aim at eliminating possible sources of tension and cultivate stronger relations based on a win-win approach. The steady rise in the trade volume with our neighbours is proof of the momentum that we have created in this sphere.

We think of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean regions as significant components of a prospective belt of stability surrounding our territory. This is the underlying principle behind our Black Sea Economic Cooperation initiative, which we still need to develop further and make more functional. One has to evaluate the advance in our relations with the Russian Federation from this angle as well as from a bilateral perspective.  Both countries are working for the jointly established goal of elevating relations to the level of an enhanced multidimensional partnership.

Cyprus proposals

Our recent initiatives on Cyprus, our support for the Annan Plan and our search for a tangible solution on the Island aim, inter alia, to help enhance stability within the Mediterranean region. Our positive contributions to the efforts of the UN Secretary General to achieve a comprehensive settlement were positively acknowledged by the international community in 2005. We will continue our efforts to bring a solution to this long lasting problem in 2006.

Details of my proposals, unveiled on 30 May 2005, for the mutual removal of all restrictions to pave the way to a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, were brought to the attention of the international community through a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General and circulated as an official document of the UN. Turkey hopes that the international community will build upon this initiative and provide significant support for a feasible and lasting solution on the Island. We believe that the unabated resistance of the Greek Cypriots will ultimately have to stop in the face of this strong aspiration.

Regional stability

Close historical and cultural ties with the countries of the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East serve to facilitate the constructive role Turkey can and does play in contributing to peace and stability in these regions. Stability in the Balkans, the peace process and reform in the broader Middle East, developments in Iraq and Afghanistan and frozen conflicts in the Caucasus will be some of the issues that dominate our agenda.

In Iraq, there is the need to construct a democracy based on social consensus with the equal participation of all groups in the country within a framework that preserves its territorial integrity and national unity. Turkey provides multi-faceted support to the present political process. We will thus continue to embrace all segments of the Iraqi population and maintain our principled stance in the time ahead.

Reform and dialogue

Enhanced regional cooperation, linking Europe and Asia through energy corridors and land routes will remain the main tenets of our Eurasian vision. With ongoing and new projects in the field of energy, Turkey will not only meet the domestic demand but also become a hub in the transportation of the Middle East and Caspian energy resources to international markets.

During the past year, Turkey has continued to be a strong and vocal advocate of reform and transformation for greater political and economic participation, democratisation, good governance, accountability and gender equality in the context of the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. It has shared its experience in democratisation with interested regional parties in support of their home-grown initiatives for reform.

The need for a true dialogue among different cultures is of utmost importance. If mankind is not capable of tolerating and accommodating cultural differences and plurality, there will be no room for a truly global society. The Alliance of Civilizations initiative is a direct response to that need. It aims at facilitating harmony and dialogue by emphasizing the common values of our cultures and religions. Our work in this field will continue with renewed energy in 2006.

Asymmetrical threat

Promotion of human rights, upholding the principles of sustainable development, combating organised crime and the illicit trade in drugs and the protection of the environment are high on our agenda. Humanitarian assistance to countries around the world in times of desperation as a result of natural or man made disasters also continues to be an integral part of our policies.

Asymmetrical threats to peace and security are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and unpredictable. Terrorism stands out as the most destructive evil. Turkey will remain committed to the global fight against this scourge. This requires solid cooperation. Turkey is pleased to see that PKK/KONGRA-GEL is now included as a terrorist organization on the lists of many countries and international organisations. Cutting its main revenue sources, ranging from money extortion to trafficking in human beings and drugs is essential also for the security of international community. We must not lose sight of the fact that there is a linkage between organized crime and terrorism, especially in terms of financing. Increased efficiency in extradition requests is essential in combating organised crime and terrorism.

UN Security Council

Our efforts to make the world a better and safer place correspond to the ideals enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, of which we are a founding member. Accordingly, Turkey will persist in its endeavours to have a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the term 2009-2010 to assume a more active global role.  

In summary, Turkey will continue to act as a stabilising power in 2006 to the best of its abilities. We will be hard working, honest and open to cooperation to deal with regional and international problems. In a world where our medicines have not done away with disease, our money has not bought bread for those dying from hunger and technological innovation has not done enough for environmental degradation, I believe the international community needs to act swiftly to bring solutions to these problems.

Up to the challenge

Turkey will also be strong on its positions in defending its national interests. We will support our friends and try to deal with every problem in its own context. As it has been in the past, Turkish foreign policy will be a symbol of rationality and wisdom in 2006. 

Turkey’s economic and human potential, strong defence capability, active participation in international conflict-resolution and peace-keeping efforts as well as its unique ability in combining the best of different cultures and traditions are valuable assets that will enable my country to play a pivotal role in her region and beyond.

We certainly feel up to this important challenge and will continue to work closely with friends and allies in building a better world for future generations.

(DIPLOMAT  -  January 2006  -  Ankara)