INTRODUCTION 

In 2008 Turkey celebrates the 85th Anniversary of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, which is one of the founding documents of the modern Turkish Republic that emerged from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. Guided by the enduring legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Turkey has been pursuing a policy of “Peace at Home and Peace Abroad” since the establishment of the Republic in 1923. Consequently, the Republic of Turkey with its democratic and secular political system, robust free market economy that is in a Customs Union with the EU, social tradition of reconciling modernity with cultural identity, pursues a foreign policy that is a generator of security and stability in its region and beyond.

The primary objective of Turkish foreign policy is to help secure and nurture a peaceful, stable, prosperous and cooperative regional and international environment that is conducive to human development at home as well as in neighboring countries and beyond.

Turkey pursues this objective by following a principled and proactive foreign policy that employs a broad spectrum of peaceful means. These entail, inter-alia, membership in the NATO Alliance and full integration with the European Union, taking the lead in regional cooperation processes, promoting good neighborly relations and economic cooperation, extending humanitarian aid and assistance to the less fortunate, participating in peace-keeping operations, and contributing to the resolution of disputes as well as post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction efforts.

As an active member of today's globalized world, Turkey employs a multi-dimensional foreign policy that reconciles the West with the East and the North with the South and is active in all regions. It serves by way of its geographic location and close historical and cultural ties across a vast landscape as a crucial bridge for dialogue and interaction between cultures at the heart of Eurasia.

The multi-dimensional character of Turkish foreign policy finds expression in and is best reflected by Turkey’s membership in a wide range of leading international and regional organizations, such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Developing 8 (D-8), along with its process of accession to the EU. Turkey also participates in the Euromed/Barcelona Process.

Turkey takes an active interest as a permanent observer in the activities of the Organization of American States, the Association of Caribbean States and the African Union. In 2007, Turkey also concluded a Framework Agreement with the Arab League to institutionalize relations and cooperation through the establishment of a Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum. Turkey seeks to establish similar institutional links with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Turkey, in conformity with its important role in strategic cooperation at a vital junction between different cultures, is in the vanguard of endeavors seeking to nurture a culture of understanding and cooperation between civilizations. Following the tragic events of September 11, Turkey hosted in February 2002 the first ever joint forum meeting of the EU and OIC in an effort to promote the crucial dialogue between cultures.

In light of the troubling events of recent years, the need for a true dialogue among different cultures continues to be a high priority on the international community’s agenda. The Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) initiative launched by the former Secretary General of the United Nations in July, 2005, which aims to facilitate harmony and dialogue by emphasizing the common values of different cultures and religions, is a direct response to that need.

With its deep-rooted tradition of mutual understanding, tolerance, dialogue and respect for other cultures and religions, Turkey has undertaken to co-sponsor this initiative together with Spain.

The report, prepared by the High Level Group of 20 internationally renowned intellectuals from all over the world representing different cultures and religions, containing a set of practical recommendations to counter the phenomenon of cross-cultural polarization was presented to the UN Secretary General and Prime Ministers of Turkey and Spain at a meeting hosted in Istanbul on 13 November 2006.

On 26 April 2007, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon designated former President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio as the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations to take the initiative forward and promote the fulfillment of the recommendations contained in the above mentioned report, which demands the strong support of the international community. The first AoC Forum meeting was held in Madrid on 15-16 January 2008, while Turkey intends to host the second in 2009.

Turkey has also assumed a more pronounced role in enhancing the effectiveness of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, with a Turkish Secretary General, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu at its helm since 1 January 2005 for a 4 year term. Moreover, the President of Turkey chairs on a permanent basis the OIC Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation which convenes annually in Istanbul.

EVOLUTION OF TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY

In the post-Lausanne era, the focus of the new Republic was on internal structuring. Externally, efforts were directed at resolving the problems pending from the Lausanne negotiations, including the Ottoman debt and border issues. Relations with neighboring countries were marked by a cooperative spirit and mutual understanding. In the mid-1930’s, as the international environment was rapidly deteriorating, Turkey endeavored to form a security belt on its western and eastern borders. It played a leading role in the establishment of the Balkan Entente (Turkey, Greece, Romania and Yugoslavia) in 1934, and the Saadabad Pact (Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan) in 1937. The Montreux Convention, reinstating its sovereignty over the strategic Turkish Straits, and regulating navigation through them, was signed in 1936. During World War II, Turkey remained a non-belligerent ally of the anti-Nazi coalition until the concluding months of the conflict when it joined the war.

In the wake of World War II, Turkey became a founding member of the United Nations in 1945 and the Council of Europe in 1949. As a result of the growing threats to security in Europe, it joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1952. In 1963, Turkey became an Associate Member of the European Economic Community, the forerunner of the European Union. In the period of détente in Europe, Turkey was able to place more emphasis on developing its relations with the Eastern European countries and the former Soviet Union, its northern neighbor.

The dramatic changes that occurred in Europe in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, namely the collapse of totalitarian regimes, the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the emergence of new independent states, the reunification of Germany, and the spread of pluralist democracy and free market economies, brought the East-West rivalry and the bipolar system to an end. At the same time, the world witnessed the emergence of new threats to security, such as ethnic nationalism, xenophobia, irredentism, fundamentalism and international terrorism, giving rise to regional instability and conflicts, and casting a shadow over the initial optimism engendered by the prospects for a new peaceful era.

In the post-Cold War period, Turkey found itself at the centre of a large landscape of increasing geopolitical significance, Eurasia, stretching from Europe to Central Asia. Turkey, with its experience in democracy and economic development, and making use of the multiple ties with the vast majority of the countries in the area, has supported their transformation efforts.

In this regard, it spearheaded the formation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), which can be seen as the first successful attempt to capitalize on the post-Cold War spirit. This initiative launched in 1992 became a full fledged International Organization in 1999 composed of 12 countries (1) from the wider Black Sea region. Turkey held the Presidency of the BSEC for a six month term between May-October 2007 and hosted on 25 June in Istanbul a Summit to commemorate the Organization’s 15th Anniversary. Turkey has also played a leading role in the formation of an on call Naval Task Force for the Black Sea (BLACKSEAFOR) among the coastal states designed to respond to “soft” security challenges, which became operational in 2003. Operation Black Sea Harmony on the other hand conducted by Turkey since March 2004 to deter offshore asymmetric threats is taking on a multinational character as the Russian Federation and Ukraine also came on board.

The membership of another regional body, the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), originally founded in 1964 by Turkey together with Iran and Pakistan as the RCD, was revived in 1985 and expanded at Turkey’s initiative in 1992 to include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and the Central Asian Republics.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline transporting Caspian oil to western markets since it became fully operational in June 2006 and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) natural gas pipeline that followed suit in 2007, coupled with transportation infrastructure such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railroad project launched with the framework agreement concluded on 7 February 2007 and ground breaking ceremony held in Georgia on 21 November 2007, serve as yet other models of regional cooperation with wide ranging implications over and above just the regional countries involved.

In the post-Cold War era, international peacekeeping has gained new significance. Accordingly, Turkey’s commitment to peacekeeping across the globe continues through its active participation in and support for various UN, NATO, OSCE and EU led missions. Over 10 thousand Turkish troops have participated in numerous international peacekeeping missions and the Turkish Armed Forces continue to serve with distinction in such NATO operations as ISAF in Afghanistan, KFOR in Kosovo, Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean and the Military Training Mission for Iraq. Turkey is also a leading non EU European ally in terms of the number of ESDP operations in which it participates as well as the capabilities committed to EU-led police missions in Macedonia, Kinshasa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the EUFOR-ALTHEA operation that replaced SFOR in the latter. In addition to its contribution to UNIFIL in Lebanon, over 1000 civilian police have been deployed in UN missions from Haiti to Kosovo, from Liberia to Sudan, from Georgia to East Timor and is consequently among the Organization’s leading contributors of police officers to police missions in various parts of the world.

Humanitarian assistance, to the best of its ability, to countries around the world in times of desperation as a result of natural and/or man made disasters also constitutes an integral part of Turkey’s policies. Accordingly, Turkey contributes to numerous international and bilateral aid efforts and the total amount of humanitarian aid extended by the Turkish Government to various causes in 2007 was in the range of 10.7 million Dollars, representing a more than two fold increase when compared with the previous year. Turkey in the meantime is rapidly emerging as a significant donor country with world-wide Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the range of 714 million US Dollars for the year 2006. This figure when supplemented by the aid provided by the Turkish private sector more than doubles to 1.7 billion Dollars, corresponding to 0.18% (1.8 per thousand) of its GNP. The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), operating through its branch offices in some 25 countries, was actively involved in various development projects in over a 100 countries in 2007.

THE EUROPEAN UNION: TOWARDS ACCESSION

Turkey’s relations with the European Union took an important turn towards accession in 2004. The progress report on Turkey issued by the European Commission on 6 October 2004 provided a full account of the sweeping political reforms realized since the Helsinki European Council in 1999, where Turkey was officially recognized as a candidate state destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria applied to the other candidates.

The Commission also concluded that Turkey had sufficiently met the Copenhagen political criteria and accordingly, recommended the opening of accession negotiations.

Thus, the vigorous agenda of reform pursued by Turkey and the colossal legislative effort realized, which has included among others such measures as the comprehensive Constitutional amendments in October 2001 and May 2004, new Civil and Penal Codes and eight reform packages, was acknowledged by the Commission’s recommendation. Many independent observers concede that the sweeping political reforms enacted to date have upgraded democracy and expanded civil liberties, while shedding many taboos such as, among others, the death penalty along the way. These have constituted nothing less than a “silent revolution”. Legislative measures foreseen by a 9th reform package have also been largely enacted.

On 17 December, 2004 the Brussels European Council, concurring with the recommendation of the Commission, pronounced the decision that the European Union would open accession negotiations with Turkey on 3 October 2005.

During the Brussels European Council, the Turkish Government confirmed that it was ready to sign the Protocol on the adaptation of the Ankara Agreement extending it to all the new members of the Union prior to the actual start of accession negotiations. However, Turkey also placed on record that this would in no way imply a recognition of the Greek Cypriot Administration by Turkey, a fact that was also publicly confirmed, among others, by the EU Dutch Presidency.

The said Protocol was concluded on 29 July 2005, on which occasion Turkey also issued a declaration to the effect that the signature of the Protocol would not in any form constitute a recognition of the “Republic of Cyprus” referred to in the Protocol. Accordingly, Turkey stated that, pending a comprehensive settlement, its position on Cyprus would remain unchanged and expressed its readiness to establish relations with the new partnership State which would emerge following a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. Turkey also reaffirmed its commitment to finding a political settlement to the Cyprus issue within the established parameters of the UN and the good offices mission of its Secretary General.

The President of the Commission Mr. Barroso, referred to the outcome of the December 2004 European Council as the historic decision of the EU to open its doors to Turkey. Indeed, this decision and the start of accession negotiations with Turkey as scheduled on 3 October 2005, marked the beginning of the final lap of a road traveled towards the objective of full membership for nearly half a century.

For, Turkey has the longest standing track record of all the candidates and new members combined in its relations with the European Union. The point of departure of Turkey’s association with the EU is the Ankara Agreement signed in 1963. Inherent in this Agreement that tied Turkey’s fate to that of Europe is the clear recognition of its prospect of full membership. This Agreement constitutes the intact political, legal and moral framework of Europe’s commitment towards Turkey.

Turkey’s application for full membership in 1987 and the completion of the Customs Union at the end of 1995 have represented further important milestones on its charted course towards full integration with the Union. The Customs Union is an arrangement that no other candidate has had with the Union prior to actual membership. With a trade volume of 107 billion Dollars, Turkey is the EU’s fifth largest trading partner.

Thus, Turkey has throughout had a unique relationship with the EU which it seeks now to consolidate with nothing short of full membership at the end of the accession negotiations. Indeed, full membership is the explicit common objective of the accession negotiations.

Turkey designated the then Minister of State Ali Babacan as its Chief Negotiator in the accession negotiations formally launched at the Intergovernmental Conference on 3 October 2005 in Luxembourg, where it shifted gears from “candidate” to “accession” country. Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 29 August 2007, Minister Babacan continues to also retain his Chief Negotiator portfolio. The greater part of 2006 was devoted to the screening of the EU Acquis in a series of meetings held with the Commission in Brussels covering each of the 33 negotiations chapters.

At the Intergovernmental Conference held on 12 June 2006 Turkey opened and provisionally closed the first chapter of its accession negotiations on Science and Research. Turkey subsequently opened in 2006 and 2007 accession negotiations on the chapters of Enterprise and Industrial Policy, Statistics, Financial Control, Consumer and Health Protection and Trans-European Networks. Turkey expects to start accession negotiations on other chapters as well in the near future.

While Turkey’s accession process continues on course at the technical level, there have been various occasions where political issues of no direct relevance to relations with the Union have come into play. The decision of the EU in December 2006 to introduce an entirely politically motivated benchmark for the opening of 8 specific negotiation chapters (2) and the closure of all was one such instance. Similarly, Turkey cannot accept any differentiation between negotiation chapters as those leading to accession and those that do not.

On 17 April 2007 Turkey announced its “Program for the Alignment with the EU Acquis 2007-2013”. The said Program, drafted in collaboration with civil society, is a comprehensive road map of the legislative measures to be adopted to prepare the groundwork for Turkey’s accession. This process is first and foremost a monumental project of contemporary transformation whereby the principle objective of the major reforms realized to date and those to come on the basis of this road map is to raise the standards of the Turkish people to the level of those of the Union.

The successful conclusion of the accession negotiations with Turkey will demonstrate the EU’s determination to unify Europe without creating new dividing lines. The fulfillment of the European project will consolidate democracy and the unification of the continent by embracing all Europeans around shared values. Therefore, Turkey’s membership to the EU is a historical mission that will reaffirm the common values that constitute the very basis of the EU and usher in a new era in world affairs.

Turkey is an intrinsic part of the European system of democratic values and can make a major contribution to the harmony among cultures within the EU and beyond. The pioneering project of European integration would be incomplete without Turkey’s membership. Also in strategic terms, Europe will have a more compelling voice in world and regional affairs with the inclusion of Turkey which has woven an intricate web of peaceful relations in a multitude of geographies and can, as a secular pluralistic democracy, be a source of inspiration for other nations desiring reform in its extended region.

The Enlargement Strategy Paper, issued by the EU Commission on 6 November 2007 together with the 10 th Regular Report on Turkey, reiterates the clear objective of the negotiations as accession, acknowledges the EU’s contractual obligations towards Turkey’s membership process and its strategic importance for the Union. This EU document also underscores the Union’s obligation to honor its commitments and maintain the momentum of the negotiations process by proceeding to open chapters where technical conditions have been met.

THE UNITED STATES

Relations between Turkey and the United States are based on strong ties of friendship, partnership and alliance. During the Cold War years, the security aspect of the relationship became more pronounced, particularly following the Truman Doctrine and Turkey’s membership to NATO. In the ensuing post-Cold War environment, the strategic relations between Turkey and the US, which have stood the test of time and have remained strong, gathering both breadth and depth over the years, continue to move forward in the pursuit of common interests upon harmonized approaches and shared values.

The Turkish-American relationship is also essential for the maintenance of peace, stability and prosperity as well as the preservation of freedom and democracy in the wider geographies of mutual concern. Hence, Turkey and the US continue to closely consult, coordinate and cooperate with each other, as appropriate, in conflict prevention and crisis management, containing regional conflicts, curbing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and combating international terrorism and extremism of all sorts, illegal drug trafficking and other manifestations of organized transnational crime.

The importance of close consultations on all issues of common concern was reiterated in the Shared Vision and Structured Dialogue Document jointly adopted on 5 July 2006. The said document is an expression of the mutual commitment of the two allies to further advance bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues of common concern through a structured dialogue mechanism.

In line with the vision laid out in this document and the decision taken at the third meeting of the Economic Partnership Commission, on 1 June 2007, Turkey and the US also adopted the Action Plan which draws a roadmap for the future economic and trade relations between the two countries. Turkey believes that there is an immense potential to be tapped in its relations with the United States particularly in the economic, trade, investment, energy, science, technology fields and R&D programs. The diversification and deepening of the ties, including at the grass-roots level, would help realize the promise of the partnership between the two long-standing allies.

The official visit of Prime Minister Erdoğan to Washington at the beginning of 2004 and the official visit paid by President George W. Bush to Turkey in June 2004 in conjunction with the NATO Summit in Istanbul both served as a valuable opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties and give direction to the future course of cooperation between the two countries. The visit of Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice to Turkey in February 2005 soon after her appointment and that of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan together with the then Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül to the US in June 2005 gave a fresh impetus to bilateral ties and enabled both sides to reiterate the importance attributed to the strategic cooperation between the two countries.

These high level contacts were pursued in 2006 and 2007, with the visit of Dr. Rice to Turkey in April 2006 and November 2007 and of the former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs to Washington in July 2006 and February 2007. Prime Minister Erdoğan also paid official visits to the US in September 2006 and November 2007.

Turkey seeks to further enhance its partnership and fruitful cooperation with the US to serve better the interests of both countries on all issues of mutual concern, which was the core message of the first official visit of the year paid by President Abdullah Gül to the United States in January 2008. This visit affirmed at the highest level the value of the startegic relations and close collaboration between the two countries that have been further reinforced through a series of high level visits exchanged in the recent past.

CYPRUS

Cyprus came to the forefront of the international community’s agenda with the diplomatic initiative taken by Turkey in January 2004 for the resumption of negotiations between the parties on the Island with a view to reaching a comprehensive settlement of this issue.

The political resolve demonstrated by Turkey for a settlement paved the way for a renewed initiative by the former UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan.

The object of the consequent round of intense negotiations held under UN auspices first on the Island from 19 February to 22 March 2004 between the two parties and then subsequently in Burgenstock, Switzerland between 24-31 March 2004 with the participation of also both motherlands Turkey and Greece , was to finalize the Annan Plan for submission to separate simultaneous referenda on both sides of the Island prior to May 1st so that, depending on the outcome of the referenda, the opportunity could be seized for a united Cyprus to accede to the Union.

The final revised version of the Annan Plan for a comprehensive settlement, presented to the parties on 31 March by the Secretary General was submitted to simultaneous but separate referenda in the North and South of Cyprus on 24 April 2004. While not fully addressing all their concerns and expectations, the Turkish Cypriots, for the sake of a compromise and settlement, overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Annan Plan by casting 65% of their votes for a settlement that would also provide for the accession of a united Island to the EU. However, ironically the Greek Cypriots, while the side to reject a solution with a ‘No’ vote of 76%, acceded to the EU on May 1st. This accession upset the balance in the Island and an important opportunity to end the division of Cyprus was missed as a consequence.

Turkey has consistently advocated a freely negotiated, comprehensive and viable settlement in Cyprus. It has placed its full support behind the UN Secretary General’s good offices mission and cooperated closely in the entire process leading up to the referenda, thereby, demonstrating its political will to bring an end to the division of the Island. Such a solution, had it been accepted, would have permitted for the unification of the Island under the banner of a United Cyprus Republic with a federal government and two equal constituent states, namely that of the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots.

The outcome of the referenda has created a new state of affairs. The international community went on record that the Turkish Cypriots who courageously affirmed their support for a settlement should not be unduly penalized for the way the vote went on the other side of the Island, where the Greek Cypriots in fact “rejected the solution itself rather than the mere plan”, as noted in the UN Secretary General’s report on his mission of good-offices in Cyprus, issued on 28 May 2004. (3)

By supporting the comprehensive plan of the UN Secretary General, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots fulfilled their responsibilities towards finding a comprehensive settlement to the problem, within the good offices mission of the Secretary General. It is now up to the international community to bring an end to the political, economic, social and cultural isolation that the Turkish Cypriots have been subjected to and to take decisive steps to lift the unjust economic embargo imposed for decades.

The UN Secretary General in his above mentioned report stated that “in the aftermath of the vote on the island, the situation of the Turkish Cypriots calls for the attention of the international community as a whole, including the Security Council” and that “the Turkish Cypriot vote has undone any rationale for pressuring and isolating them”. The Secretary General also called on the members of the Security Council to give a strong lead to all States to cooperate both bilaterally and in international bodies to eliminate unnecessary restrictions and barriers that have the effect of isolating the Turkish Cypriots and impeding their development. The Security Council has not acted on this report to date.

Following the referenda, the EU and several international bodies such as the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) alongside a number of countries on a bilateral basis, have made some efforts for the elimination of the unjust embargo and restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriots. However, it has not been possible to break the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots or to heal the wounds of their bitter past experiences. The core reason behind this situation, undoubtedly, is the negative stance of the Greek Cypriot side that has been obstructing all positive steps to improve the situation of the Turkish Cypriots by exploiting its EU membership.

In this context, while the EU committed itself to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots with its decision of 26 April 2004, the Regulations for financial assistance and direct trade drafted by the Commission have not produced any tangible results, as the former has yet to be meaningfully implemented and the latter remains to be adopted by the Union.

On 30 May 2005, Turkey unveiled a new proposal for the removal of all restrictions at the same time by all concerned as yet another concrete overture for paving the way to a just, durable and comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. The details of this initiative were brought to the attention of the international community through a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General and circulated to the international community as an official document of the UN (4). The main thrust of this proposal is to remove inter-island restrictions on the free movement of people, goods and services, as well as to and from both sides of Cyprus. Had this package offer fallen on receptive ears, it would not only have served to integrate the Turkish Cypriots with the world but also permit for Greek Cypriot vessels and airplanes to enter Turkish sea and air ports.

Undaunted by the persistent Greek Cypriot intransigence, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots took yet another initiative on Cyprus in January 2006 and proposed an “action plan” with the aim of bringing about a transitional process, under the guidance of the UN Secretary General, which would facilitate economic development through practical arrangements, until a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus question is found. These practical arrangements envisaged, under an established timetable, the removal of all obstacles to the free movement of goods, persons and services, including restrictions on means of transport and provided the two parties in Cyprus with a perspective for a gradual harmonization in the practical implementation of the EU Customs Union.

This was also followed by a proposal of the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmet Ali Talat to address bilaterally at the technical level the various issues that affect the daily lives of the Turkish and Greek Cypriots. This in turn led to the agreement facilitated by the UN of 8 July 2006 to initiate a process between the two sides on the island to concurrently take up issues pertaining to day to day life in Technical Committees and substantive matters of a comprehensive settlement in Working Groups to be established. This process however has been deadlocked due to the tactical and obstructive ploys of the Greek Cypriot side.

On 5 September 2007, President Talat suggested to start comprehensive negotiations after a preparatory period of two months and to attain a comprehensive solution by the end of 2008 to the Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos who yet again rejected this offer.

President Talat and the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met on 16 October 2007, in New York. Referring to the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriot leadership, President Talat explained to the Secretary-General the approach of the Turkish Cypriot side towards a comprehensive settlement. He also presented a package of proposals on Confidence Building Measures between the two sides, in a way to extend the proposals he presented to the Secretary-General via his letter dated July 6, 2006. His new proposals include the opening of new crossing points and establishing a mechanism for cooperation through the UNFICYP on issues, mainly of a humanitarian nature, that the two sides are concerned with.

Turkey is opposed to the attempts to side line the UN and carry the issue to other fora. While the efforts of the Secretary General to revive the talks have yielded no tangible results so far due to the continued intransigence of the Greek Cypriot Administration, Turkey together with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue to support efforts under the auspices of the UN towards a lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based on the long established UN parameters such as bi-zonality, political equality, equal status and a new partnership. Turkey will actively pursue its endeavors to this end and trusts that the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki moon will accord high priority to this issue in the period ahead.

GREECE

In regard to relations with neighboring Greece, Turkey acts on its conviction that the natural state of affairs with Greece should be one of close cooperation and that there is overwhelmingly more that binds the two countries and their two peoples than what is purported to separate them. The surge in recent years of people-to-people contacts and grass-roots dialogue as well as the developing cooperation among the respective governments is clear evidence to that effect. While significant progress has been achieved through the process of dialogue since 1999 in attaining this equilibrium in relations between Turkey and Greece, there remains much more to be done. In this context, issues pertaining to the Aegean and the ongoing problems encountered by the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace continue to constitute sources of contention.

Following the start of a process of rapprochement between Turkey and Greece in 1999, a more constructive understanding has begun to define the terms of bilateral relations which were trouble ridden during the past decades. The conclusion of 32 bilateral agreements in various fields such as trade, tourism, environment, culture, energy, transportation and security related matters has contributed towards the diversification of cooperation on issues of common interest. New communication tracks established, namely the reciprocal visits of the Foreign Ministers, the working group meetings under the guidance of the Steering Committee, political consultations, talks on Confidence Building Measures (CBM) and 37 rounds of exploratory contacts held to date on the Aegean, have continued on a regular basis.

Frequent high level contacts and reciprocal visits have also been both instrumental in and a by-product of this process. The promising and constructive tone that have begun to define bilateral relations culminated with the official visit paid by Prime Minister Erdoğan to Greece in May 2004, after an interval of 16 years since the last visit of a Turkish Prime Minister. On this occasion Prime Minister Erdoğan also paid a visit to Western Thrace where a large Turkish minority resides. This was the first high level visit by a Turkish official to the region since 1952.

The visit of the former Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Molyviatis in April 2005, enabled both sides to explore further avenues of cooperation between the two neighboring countries. The visit of Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni to Istanbul in June 2006 to attend a meeting bringing the media members of both countries together, resulted in the adoption of 3 additional CBM’s raising to 19 the total number of such measures being implemented to foster a more favorable climate for greater cooperation on numerous issues of common interest. The visits reciprocated in this context by the Chiefs of General Staff in 2006 were a first and significant step towards enhancing mutual confidence.

The Greek Foreign Minister Bakoyanni also accompanied Prime Minister Karamanlis to Turkey on the occasion of the BSEC Summit in June 2007 and attended the meeting of the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in October 2007 in Ankara.

Five additional CBM’s were adopted between the two countries during Foreign Minister Ali Babacan’s visit to Greece in early December 2007, raising the total number of such measures thus to 24. Minister Babacan’s contacts with the Turkish Minority in Komotini were an important feature of this visit, since it also represented the first visit by a Turkish Foreign Minister to Western Thrace in nearly half a century.

Similarly, the visit paid by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to Turkey on 23-25 January 2008, marked an importand milestone in bilateral relations as the first official visit in almost 50 years from Greece to Turkey at this level.

The mutual desire to bridge differences through dialogue and promote cooperation in the better interest of both countries has also reflected positively on other dimensions of bilateral relations, such as trade and tourism. While the balance of trade between the two countries stood at 695 million Dollars in 1999, today this figure is in the range of 2.6 billion Dollars, representing a 43% increase when compared with figures for 2006. While Turkey has become Greece’s fifth largest trading partner, total investments of some 300 Greek firms operating in Turkey, with the banking sector taking the lead, has soared to 5.5 billion Dollars in recent years. In 1998, 160 thousand Greek tourists visited Turkey whereas in 2006 Turkey was the destination of choice for some 400 thousand Greek tourists.

Energy has also proven to be a promising area of cooperation between the two countries. The inauguration of the natural gas interconnector held on 18 November 2007 at Ipsala on the Turkish-Greek border with the participation of the Prime Ministers of Turkey and Greece is a case in point. This endeavor is of strategic significance for both countries as well as the continent of Europe as it will provide the latter with an alternate secure energy transit route. The uninterrupted flow of natural gas from the Caspian Basin to the heart of Europe will be ensured with the extension of the present pipeline to Italy by the year 2011. The Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) natural gas pipeline hooking up with the Turkey-Greece interconnector is in fact the very first alternate route to provide Europe with natural gas from the Caspian Basin.

Turkey hopes that the improvement in bilateral relations will continue in the period ahead, allowing for the settlement of all issues, and resulting in a climate of habitual cooperation beneficial to the two countries as well as peace, stability and security in the region as a whole.

THE BALKANS

The Balkans as a region has played a significant role in European and world history. This strategically sensitive region is Turkey’s gateway to continental Europe. Important historical and cultural ties exist between the peoples of Turkey and the Balkan countries, which in effect mirror Turkey’s close ties with the region it regards itself as an integral part of.

The Balkans has been a fertile ground for conflicts that have characterized the fundamental change in the political and security environment in the region during the post-Cold War era. Turkey attaches importance to the creation of an atmosphere of understanding and peaceful co-habitation through closer ties among the Balkan countries, which would lead to the preservation of peace and stability in the region. Thus, Turkey’s approach to the conflicts in the Balkans has not been confined to merely the cessation of hostilities, but it has also pursued a policy aimed at creating a durable climate of understanding conducive to cooperation across the region. In this respect, Turkey has been at the forefront of international efforts to settle the Kosovo issue and supports a fair and sustainable Final Status Settlement. Turkey is quite naturally closely following all developments regarding tendencies gaining ground in this context. Turkey will ultimately respect the will of the people of Kosovo in this process.

Turkey’s commitment to peace in the Balkans is expressed in concrete terms through its contribution to KFOR in Kosovo and the largest peace keeping operation assumed by the EU to date, EUFOR-ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In May 2007, Turkey assumed the command of the Multinational Task Force-South of KFOR for a period of one year. Turkey also participates in both the Integrated Police Unit and EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the UN police mission (UNMIK) in Kosovo.

Turkey has played a leading role in launching major initiatives such as the Southeastern European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the only genuine initiative emanating from within the region, and the Multinational Peace Force Southeast Europe (MPFSEE)/Southeastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG). In this context, the SEEBRIG Headquarters has been established in Istanbul for the period of 2007-2011. Turkey also plays an active role in the Southeastern Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) process. Turkey continues to be active within regional economic initiatives as well as the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) and the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe initiated by the EU and currently in the process of being transformed into the Regional Cooperation Council within the framework of the SEECP. Turkey welcomed the signing of the Host Country Agreement on the establishment of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in Sarajevo on 14 September 2007 during the Informal Ministerial Meeting of the Southeast European Cooperation Process. Turkey believes that this agreement will greatly contribute to the institutionalization of both the SEECP and the RCC.

Turkey has consistently advocated the dividend of peace and stability inherent in the region’s integration with the Euro-Atlantic structures and thus wholeheartedly supports the aspirations of remaining Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to this end and regards the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU as a welcome development. Turkey was also one of the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Montenegro following its independence in 2006 and opened its Embassy in Podgorica in 2008.

THE MIDDLE EAST

A land of natural wealth and great promise, the Middle East has unfortunately experienced turmoil and conflict for decades. Turkey has been negatively affected by the instability in the region and has a strong interest in the resolution of its problems. Given the deep historical and cultural ties with all countries and peoples of the region, Turkey feels a moral responsibility to actively contribute to the efforts to transform the region into one of lasting peace, security, prosperity and cooperation.

To that effect, Turkey has a vision for the Middle East which is based on its experience in democratization, the rule of law, economic liberalization, integration and regional cooperation. Turkey places particular emphasis on such key concepts as political and economic participation, democratization, good governance, accountability and gender equality, as well as non- proliferation and transparency in military affairs. This vision also offers to share the valuable and unique experience accrued as a result of decades long participation and leadership in cooperation in Europe-wide processes, as well as sub-regional fora in the Balkans and the Black Sea area. Turkey has long been a strong advocate of positive change in its region and supports the local initiatives of the regional countries in their home-grown labors for reform. Turkey both encourages and assists the ongoing local efforts to this end which offer promise for the improvement of political, social and economic conditions in the region.

In this context, Turkey participated as a democratic partner in the G-8 Summit held in Sea Island in June 2004 and assumed the co-chairmanship, along with Italy and Yemen, of the Democracy Assistance Dialogue (DAD), one of the mechanisms created within the scope of the Broader Middle East and Northern Africa (BMENA) initiative. Turkey has hosted a number of thematic meetings of the DAD on the empowerment of women in public life with the participation of NGO’s from the region, the last of which was an Intergovernmental Conference held in Ankara in May 2006.

Turkey believes that lasting peace, security and stability in the Middle East can only be achieved through a negotiated settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute and that UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397, the Quartet Road Map and the Arab Peace Initiative, provide a sound basis for such a settlement.

Turkey supports the vision for the region, where two states, Israel and Palestine, will live side by side in peace and dignity within secure and internationally recognized borders.

Turkey actively contributes to efforts by the international community to achieve peace in the Middle East. Benefiting from the traditional and excellent relations with both parties, Turkey is favorably disposed to play a constructive role to complement efforts to this end. Turkey’s diplomatic relations with Israel which date back to 1949 have steadily evolved over the years to the benefit of both countries and overall regional stability. It believes that as peace takes root in this troubled geography, its ties and cooperation with Israel will serve as an example for other countries of the region. The meeting facilitated by Turkey in Istanbul on 1 September 2005 between the Foreign Ministers of Israel and Pakistan with a view to the conduct of diplomatic relations can be cited as a case in point. Upon the request of both sides, Turkey also participates in the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH). Turkey will continue to be receptive to the needs of the parties to assist in the peace process and remains at their disposal to assume any role requested to facilitate it to move forward.

Visits exchanged at the highest level, including the official visits of former President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in July 2006 to the region, President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmud Abbas’s visit in April 2006 and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s visit in February 2007 to Turkey have served as yet further occasions for Turkey to reiterate its desire to be of such assistance.

More recently, the extensive tour of the region, including Palestine and Israel, conducted by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan during the month of October 2007, was an explicit expression of Turkey’s close interest in and keen desire to play a constructive role towards the resolution of problems beleaguering the region.

Shortly thereafter, Presidents Peres and Abbas paid an unprecedented joint visit to Turkey between 11 and 13 November 2007.

The Annapolis Conference held in November 2007, also attended by Turkey, served as a critical turning point for the better in the efforts to resume the process towards a just and lasting peace, which Turkey earnestly hopes will yield tangible results as anticipated by the end of 2008.

Turkey, however, fears that the current political rift within Palestine is detrimental to the Palestinian cause and could potentially undermine the implementation of any future agreement to be reached in this process.

Turkey also believes that peace in the Middle East can only be viable as long as it is comprehensive and that it is imperative to revive all tracks of the peace process.

Believing in the merit of enhanced economic cooperation as an effective confidence building measure, Turkey also took the initiative to launch a new tripartite platform, referred to as the Ankara Forum, to promote economic and commercial relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the participation also of Turkey. The bilateral agreements on the project to revitalize the Erez Industrial Free Zone in Gaza, elaborated within this context, were concluded between Turkey and the Palestinian Authority and Israel in January 2006. Pending more favorable conditions, the eventual implementation of this project is expected to create job opportunities for approximately 6 thousand Palestinians.

A joint declaration was issued on 13 November 2007 during the 7th meeting of the Ankara Forum attended by the Presidents of Turkey, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, in support of initiating a similar project in Tarqumiah in the West Bank, as another venture to lay the ground for the economic dimension of a sustainable peace.

Turkey has also been providing the Palestinian Authority with assistance in such sectors as health, education, public financing, institution building, security, tourism and agriculture. Within the context of an action plan adopted in 2003 Turkey has provided significant humanitarian aid, increased the number of scholarships allocated to Palestinian students and police cadets, organized several vocational training programs and donated 25 thousand police uniforms. The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) established a regional office in Ramallah during Prime Minister Erdoğan’s visit to the region in May 2005, to assist in streamlining Turkey’s financial and technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority. Turkey has provided a total of 23 million Dollars of assistance for the economic and social development of the Palestinians. More recently, Turkey pledged 150 million US Dollars to be allocated on the basis of various projects to the Palestinian Authority for the next three years, at the International Donors Conference held for Palestine on 17 December 2007 in Paris. This figure represents the largest sum of assistance to be granted to date by Turkey to one single country.

In Lebanon, Turkey is the only country from the region to take part in UNIFIL with a frigate, two corvettes, a support ship and a reconstruction team consisting of 261 personnel on the ground. As such, it is one of the most substantial contributors to the Maritime Task Force of UNIFIL. This decision followed an active shuttle diplomacy to bring an end to the bloodshed in Lebanon during the summer of 2006. Turkey’s much coveted decision to participate in UNIFIL adopted by the Turkish Parliament in September 2006 and extended for another year in 2007, demonstrated the confidence placed in its capability to contribute in unique ways to the restoration of stability in the region. Turkey also complements its peace keeping effort with humanitarian aid where it ranks among the top 15 countries providing such assistance to Lebanon. To date, it has extended 50 million Dollars to the Lebanese government in the form of grants. Direct aid and assistance of Turkish NGOs far surpasses the official figure. Turkey has set up numerous prefabricated schools and intends to construct a hospital in Lebanon. It has also pursued an active diplomacy at the highest level to assist in overcoming the political impasse in the Presidential elections which, if not resolved shortly, runs the high risk of further destabilizing the country.

Turkey’s relations with neighbors such as Syria and Iran continue to develop positively. It believes that they also offer a useful channel in support of diplomatic efforts to engage these countries in international cooperation. In this regard, it encourages Syria’s full cooperation with the international community in Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East Peace Process. It does likewise with Iran. In respect to the question of Iran’s nuclear program Turkey upholds every nation’s right to develop nuclear energy solely for peaceful purposes and supports a diplomatic solution to this issue while encouraging Iran to comply with the expectations of the international community on this score. The visits of Syrian President Esad in October 2007 and Deputy Prime Minister Dardari in January 2008 to Turkey and the visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan to Damascus and Tehran in October 2007 served as an opportunity to affirm the positive trend in bilateral relations as well as to once again convey similar messages for their cooperation with the international community.

IRAQ

Developments in Iraq and the deteriorating security environment continue to preoccupy the international community along with Turkey as a matter of priority. Turkey wishes to see stability and security promptly restored in a territorially intact, democratic, pluralist and prosperous Iraq, free from sectarian violence, at peace with itself and its neighbors and fully reintegrated with the international community. The preservation of Iraq’s unity and territorial integrity has all along been an overriding priority objective for Turkey. This is vital not only for Iraq, but also for overall stability and peace in the neighborhood, in the broader Middle East, and the world at large.

Turkey has suffered the most in terms of humanitarian, economic and security problems as a result of the events that have unfolded in and around Iraq throughout the last quarter of a century. It is therefore in its vital interest to see a prompt restoration of law and order and a return to normalcy in Iraq.

Turkey thus has supported the political transition process in Iraq from its outset and remains firmly committed to assisting Iraq in its search for security, peace and stability. Turkey's contributions to these ends are visible in many fields.

Turkey played a widely acknowledged instrumental role in encouraging broad participation, in particular of the Sunnis in the political process. Turkey continues to pursue contacts with groups representing all leading segments of Iraqi society in an effort to promote rapprochement and encourages political dialogue and national reconciliation.

Turkey has organized a series of lectures and seminars for representatives of the Iraqi political parties on democratic institutions and constitutional, electoral and legislative processes. Up to 700 Iraqi officials, politicians, officers and journalists have benefited from training programs hosted by Turkey.

Aware of the vital importance of rebuilding Iraq’s national security network and capabilities, Turkey has been contributing to NATO’s Training Mission in Iraq. Turkey’s contribution as the main artery of supply lines to Iraq is crucial for the reconstruction effort in this country. Over one million trucks transport essential goods to Iraq via Turkey each year. In this process, the significant number of Turkish citizens that have been abducted, held hostage and who have lost their lives to terror in Iraq has naturally been a source of great distress for Turkey.

The Turkish Government appointed a Special Envoy who coordinates Turkey’s national and international endeavors vis-à-vis Iraq.

Turkey has also designated a high level Special Coordinator for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance in order to mobilize and streamline Turkey’s assistance to Iraq. Turkey has pledged 50 million Dollars, of which 20% has already been committed to the reconstruction effort and donated over 5.4 million Dollars in humanitarian assistance. Despite unfavorable conditions prevailing in the country, hundreds of Turkish contractors operating in Iraq have undertaken construction projects worth 3.5 billion Dollars. The reconstruction of the Razi Hospital in Bagdad is one such project.

Turkey continues to voice its concerns shared by others as well, regarding developments in Kirkuk which is a microcosm of Iraq in every respect. It is a city that belongs to the entire Iraqi nation and no single group or community should be allowed to claim monopoly of political and administrative rule of this province. Therefore the current debate over Kirkuk will be an important test for Iraq. Turkey is closely following this debate regarding the future status of Kirkuk and the unilateral moves that have already altered the demographic balance in the province. In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General (5), Turkey drew attention to the sensitive nature of Kirkuk and the need to preserve the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural character of this city by maintaining its special status.

The fate of Kirkuk is a highly sensitive issue. Attempts designed at a fait accompli regarding the status of the multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk which has been home to all ethnic groups in Iraq throughout history would have a severe backlash for the whole of Iraq.

Turkey welcomed the postponement of the referendum on the status of Kirkuk, prematurely intended to be held by the end of 2007. There is evidently a growing recognition within the international community that such a referendum would require a consensus to be reached among all the groups that make up the population of the city, a position also strongly supported by Turkey.

Turkey also continues to promote consultations among Iraq and the neighboring countries. The “Neighbors Forum” initiative launched by Turkey in January 2003 prior to the US-led intervention in Iraq has to date held nine formal and four informal meetings at the level of Foreign Ministers. This mechanism has proved its merit as a useful platform for the exchange of views and the harmonization of regional positions aimed at contributing to stability and lasting peace in Iraq. At the invitation of Turkey, the EU, OIC and AL were represented for the first time at the 8th official meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Iraq held in Istanbul on 30 April, 2005.

Upon the proposal submitted by Turkey this forum was expanded to include the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and the G8. The sub ministerial preparatory meeting held in Bagdad on 10 March 2007 in this context, which also brought Iran and Syria together with the US in such a setting, was the first ever hosted by Iraq itself. The first expanded Ministerial was held on the 4th of May 2007 at Sharm el Sheikh. The Conference participants reiterated their support to Iraq in order to strengthen its national unity, restore stability and achieve national reconciliation. The Conference decided to expedite the formation of three working groups to address security and border control cooperation; assistance to displaced Iraqis; and energy and electricity needs of Iraq. Turkey is a member of all three groups and hosted the meeting of the Working Group on Energy on 28-29 June 2007.

The second Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Neighboring Countries of Iraq in its expanded format, co-hosted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Prime Minister Nuri El-Maliki of Iraq was held in Istanbul on 2-3 November 2007 and also attended by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon.

The meeting, where the OIC, AL and EU were also represented, sought to contribute concretely to the efforts of the Government and people of Iraq to restore peace, stability and prosperity in the country and served the purpose of the participating countries to reiterate their commitment to the territorial integrity, unity, sovereignty and independence of Iraq, as stipulated in the Final Communiqué, subsequently also circulated as an official UN Document. (6)

While the value and importance of the ongoing and continuous expanded neighbors process was reiterated at the meeting, the continuation of the core neighboring countries process as well as the working groups initiated at the first Expanded Neighboring Countries Foreign Ministers Meeting in Sharm El Seikh was reconfirmed. The meeting also endorsed the formation of an ad hoc “support mechanism” in Baghdad and welcomed the UN’s offer to provide it with resources.

The next expanded Ministerial will be held in Kuwait in 2008.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, the US and Iraq to meet on a trilateral basis, with particular focus on combat with terrorism.

Another track of the Iraq’s Neighbors Forum is the meetings held among the Ministers of Interior for cooperation on security related issues. The Ministers of Interior of Iraq and its neighbors signed a protocol on Security Cooperation on 18 September 2006 in Jeddah. The latest Neighboring Countries Interior Ministers meeting took place in Kuwait on 23 October 2007.

A continuing point of major contention is the safe haven provided to PKK/KONGRA-GEL terrorist elements and affiliates in the north of Iraq posing a serious security threat for Turkey and requiring swift and effective measures to be taken by the Government of Iraq for its eradication.

The PKK terrorist organization, declared as such by the US, NATO and the EU, has caused the loss of more than 30.000 innocent lives in Turkey.

Turkey has made it amply clear to all concerned that the terrorist threat against Turkey originating from Iraqi territory is an issue which needs urgent attention and effective measures based on the principle of “zero tolerance” to terrorism. Accordingly, Turkey has repeatedly expressed its expectation that Iraq must take urgent action to outlaw and terminate the presence of this terrorist organization operating from its territories towards its neighbor.

Having displayed utmost restraint by responding constructively to all diplomatic initiatives to bring an end to this presence just beyond its borders, Turkey has also reaffirmed its determination at the highest level to eliminate the terrorist threat that it can no longer tolerate.

On 17 October 2007, the Turkish Grand National Assembly unanimously authorized the Turkish Government to take all necessary measures, including, if required, cross border operations against the PKK as a matter of national defense, in the justified combat with terrorism.

Operations subsequently conducted against PKK targets in the north of Iraq have been carried out against this background and framework. The PKK terror organization is the sole target of these operations, not in any way Iraq itself or the Iraqi people.

Among other issues pertaining to bilateral relations, this issue has been raised as a matter of priority on numerous occasions with Iraqi counterparts, including during high level visits to Turkey such as those paid by Vice President Tariq Al-Hashimi in August and October 2007, Prime Minister Maliki in November 2006 and August 2007, and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari in July 2006 and April 2007.

Turkey’s legitimate concerns and expectations regarding the elimination of the PKK presence in neighboring Iraq was the overriding message conveyed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Babacan during his visit to Baghdad on 23 October 2007.

During the first few months of 2007, Turkey opened a Consulate General in Mosul as its second representation in Iraq after its Embassy in Bagdad which has remained fully functional throughout the past four years. Turkey is preparing to also open a Consulate General in Basra in 2008.

THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Russia has traditionally been an important neighbor for Turkey throughout history. The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the Russian Federation marked a new phase in Turkish-Russian relations, dating back over 500 years. Russia was the first major power to recognize the Ankara Government during the War of Independence.

Both countries share the aim of working towards the enhancement of peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region. The changes that have taken place on the international scene and new threats and challenges that have emerged to peace and stability throughout various parts of the world have displayed that enhanced cooperation between Turkey and Russia is an important aspect of security, stability and welfare both at the global and regional level. Currently, mutual trust, friendship and cooperation form the basis of good neighborly relations, which Turkey seeks to further develop to serve the mutual interests of both countries.

Tangible results of this cooperation are already visible in such areas as trade and energy. The agreement signed between Turkey and Russia for the transportation of Russian natural gas to Turkey via an underwater pipeline in the Black Sea, referred to as the Blue Stream, officially inaugurated in November 2005, is an example of that cooperation. Turkey actually started receiving natural gas from this pipeline in February 2003. Roughly 70% of the natural gas consumed in Turkey is imported from the Russian Federation.  The current volume of trade between Turkey and the Russian Federation exceeds 25 billions Dollars making Russia Turkey’s second largest trading partner after Germany. However, due to the significant amount of natural gas imported from Russia there is a major deficit to the disadvantage of Turkey in its balance of trade with this country. Turkish contractors have earned a prominent share in the Russian construction market with contracts in the range of 23.5 billion Dollars and the investments of Turkish firms in Russia have come to exceed 5.6 billion Dollars. Some 2.5 million Russian tourists visited Turkey in 2007. All these figures are indicative of the positive trend in bilateral relations which culminated with the commemoration of 2007 as the Year of Russia in Turkey and will continue throughout 2008 as the Year of Turkey in Russia.

Moreover, reciprocal visits between Turkey and the Russian Federation have served to strengthen bilateral ties and diversify areas of cooperation between the two countries. The signing of the “Action Plan for Cooperation between Turkey and the Russian Federation in Eurasia” on November 16, 2001 demonstrated the desire on both sides to expand and upgrade bilateral cooperation to a multi-dimensional partnership.

Bilateral relations gained a new momentum with the official visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister to Russia in February 2004. This was the first official visit at the level of Foreign Minister from Turkey to the Russian Federation in 8 years. During the visit, both sides reiterated their determination to elevate bilateral cooperation to a level consistent with a multi-dimensional partnership. The Turkish Foreign Minister paid a further visit to Moscow in May 2004 and November 2006 within the framework of multilateral meetings, which also served as an opportunity for bilateral contacts. These visits were reciprocated by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in May 2006.

The official visit of President Putin to Turkey in December 2004, excluding the visit of the President of the Soviet Presidium Podgorni in 1972, was the first such visit by a Russian leader in the history of Turkish-Russian relations. This historic visit thus gave a new impetus to bilateral relations as reflected by “The Joint Declaration on the Intensification of Friendship and Multi-dimensional Partnership” issued at its conclusion. Former President Ahmet Necdet Sezer reciprocated in June 2006 with an official visit notably significant for being the first such high level visit from Turkey during the Russian Federation period.

Successive visits of Prime Minister Erdoğan to the Russian Federation in January, May and July 2005 along with President Putin’s participation in the inauguration ceremony of the Blue Stream natural gas pipeline in Samsun on 17 November 2005 and the Summit meeting of the BSEC to commemorate the Organization’s 15th anniversary on 25 June 2007 in Istanbul served to further enhance bilateral ties and cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The main thrust of high level contacts in recent years has focused on further expanding economic cooperation, among others, in the field of energy.

SOUTHERN CAUCASUS

Peace, stability and cooperation in the neighboring Caucasus are vitally important for Turkey which enjoys close political, economic, social and cultural ties with the peoples of the region. Turkey’s approach to the South Caucasus is shaped by its desire to establish a climate conducive to comprehensive cooperation with the participation of all states of the region.

While the region offers great potential for the well-being of its inhabitants, it is held back by a number of conflicts. Frozen conflicts pending a resolution continue to jeopardize regional peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Turkey advocates that solutions to be found through peaceful means to existing frozen conflicts should be based on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Turkey therefore makes every effort to contribute to their resolution, the overall reduction of tension in the area, as well as promoting closer interaction and integration of the countries of the region with the larger world, and particularly the Euro-Atlantic community. This region is also of strategic importance for stability and prosperity in the wider context of Eurasia due to its energy resources and pipeline corridors.

In order to realize its vision of peace, stability and economic prosperity for this neighboring region, Turkey at the same time continues to invest in the infrastructure of regional cooperation through significant energy and transportation projects such as the now fully operational Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum oil and natural gas pipelines and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad, the ground breaking ceremony for which was held on 21 November 2007 with the participation of the Presidents of Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. The BTK will constitute a much needed uninterrupted link in the greater Eurasia overland railroad network, as well as a major transportation corridor connecting the West and the East.

Turkey, which recognized the independence of all three states of the region in 1991 upon the demise of the USSR, has developed a close partnership with Azerbaijan with which it shares a common language, culture and history. Turkey supports Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity and realize its economic potential drawn from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea. The excellent relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan continue to flourish. Frequent exchange of high level visits serves to further substantiate the strong bonds between the two countries. In this regard, soon after assuming the Presidency, President Abdullah Gül paid his second official visit abroad to Azerbaijan on 6 November 2007. Later that same month President Aliev of Azerbaijan attended the inauguration of the Turkey-Greece natural gas interconnector on the Turkish-Greek border, hooking the BTE through the Turkish national grid to Greece and subsequently to Italy by the year 2011.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues to stand as the principal obstacle to political stability, economic development and regional cooperation in the Caucasus. As a member of the Minsk Group within the framework of the OSCE, Turkey considers the Minsk Process as a useful mechanism for a peaceful, lasting and just settlement of the conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. It also supports the Prague Process within this context initiated in 2004 by the co-chairs of the Minsk Process, and hopes it will yield tangible results.

Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia’s independence. However, a number of concerns that arise from the policies of Armenia have prevented the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.

Turkey is not opposed to the normalization of relations with Armenia, should this country review its policies and adopt approaches that are compatible with good neighborly relations. Turkey hopes that Yerevan comes to the realization that its breach of basic principles of international law and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, as well as its pursuit of confrontational policies together with the Armenian Diaspora will continue to seriously impede the normalization of relations, and consequently the establishment diplomatic ties with Turkey.

In this connection, Turkey extended an invitation to Armenia to establish a joint history commission to conduct research on the events of 1915 in their respective archives along with those of relevant third countries, and make their findings public. This was a clear manifestation of Turkey’s desire to shed light on disputed historical events that could serve as a step towards the normalization of relations. While this important overture has enjoyed support from third parties, to Turkey’s dismay, it has so far not received a favorable response from Armenia. This proposal continues to remain on the table.

Turkey also has close relations with Georgia. Preservation of the territorial integrity of Georgia, and further developing the existing ties are of great importance for Turkey. The Abkhazian and South Ossetia conflicts endanger peace and stability not only in Georgia, but also in the entire region. Turkey has consistently supported a peaceful resolution of these conflicts within the framework of the territorial integrity of Georgia and expressed its readiness to assume a facilitating role in the peaceful resolution of the Abkhazian conflict, should the sides so desire.

Following growing tensions between Georgia and Russia as well as on the domestic front in the fall of 2007, Turkey welcomed Georgia’s decision to hold early Presidential elections on 5 January 2008. Turkey believes this election, whereby President Saakashvili renewed his mandate with the people and Parliamentary elections to follow are important steps towards the consolidation of democracy and the restoration of political stability in this neighboring nation.

Numerous high level visits exchanged in recent years have given bilateral relations a fresh impetus. Both former President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and President Mikheil Saakashvili reciprocated official visits in 2006. President Gül visited Georgia on 20 November 2007 on the occasion of the ground breaking ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad. During the visit, a Free Trade Agreement, representing the most liberal arrangement Turkey has with any country, was concluded between Turkey and Georgia. Prime Minister Nogaideli of Georgia also paid official visits to Turkey in 2006 and 2007.

Turkey has also brought all the countries of the region into the fold of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in a bid to promote an environment of confidence and cooperation among regional actors.

Moreover, Turkey believes it can be an instrumental actor in the implementation of the EU’s European Neighborhood Policy vis-à-vis the Southern Caucasus which will serve to promote progress on the wider reform agenda in the region. In this context, Turkey welcomed the conclusion in November 2006 of the EU Action Plans with the countries in the South Caucasus, with the view that they will promote intra-regional dialogue and cooperation.

CENTRAL ASIA

Turkish people have close cultural ties and linguistic affinities with the peoples of Central Asia. Turkey therefore attaches high priority to the strong bonds and close relations it has cultivated with the countries of the region. Having rekindled its ties with the Central Asian States following their independence, Turkey pursues a policy aimed at further enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

It also promotes solidarity with and among these partners that share a common history, culture and language through such initiatives as the Summits of Turkish-Speaking Countries, the first of which was held in Ankara in 1992 and brings together Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan in a multilateral platform for a high level exchange. The 8th Summit held in Antalya in November 2006 reaffirmed the shared aim of the participating countries to promote cooperation in Central Asia and the visibility of the region at the international level. The next summit to be held in 2008 will be hosted by Azerbaijan.

On the bilateral level, the official visits of President Gül to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan in December 2007 and forthcoming visits to the other countries of the region in the period ahead reflect Turkey’s desire to reinvigorate its ties with Central Asia on the basis of a fresh vision of cooperation.

Turkey continues to expand trade relations with these countries. Accordingly its trade volume with the region in 2006 was in the range of 3 billion Dollars. Turkish investments in these countries are close to 4 billion Dollars and the value of the projects undertaken by Turkish contractors thus far is around 15.5 billion Dollars. Turkey supports these nations in their democratic and economic development, through, inter-alia, significant loans, technical assistance, scholarships, civil service training opportunities as well as military assistance and training. The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), which later branched out to other regions as well, was initially founded in 1992 to provide the countries of the region with technical assistance in such fields in particular as education, health, transportation and good governance. TIKA, which has coordination offices in all the Central Asian Republics, undertook some 559 projects in the region in 2007.

ENERGY

Turkey is geographically located in close proximity to 70 % of the world’s proven energy reserves, in particular those in the Middle East and the Caspian basin. It thus, forms a natural energy bridge between the source countries and consumer markets and stands as a key country in ensuring energy security through diversification of supply sources and routes, considerations that have gained increased significance in the world today.

Major pipeline projects realized and others under construction which will inevitably contribute to global energy supply security are enhancing Turkey’s role as an important transit country on the Eurasia energy axis and a significant energy hub in the region. To this end, Turkey has concentrated its efforts for the transportation of Caspian oil and gas reserves to Western markets on the realization of the East-West Energy Corridor, often referred to as the Silk Road of the 21st Century. The pipeline projects linking the Caucasus and Central Asia to Europe will be essential for the region’s integration with the West. Secure and commercially profitable pipelines will help bring stability and prosperity to the region.

The first leg of the East-West Energy Corridor, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline (BTC) became operational in June 2006 and officially inaugurated on 13 July 2006. The BTC pipeline is not only safely transporting Caspian oil to Western markets, but also contributing to the safety of navigation, preservation of the environment and the security of the 12,5 million inhabitants of Istanbul, by placing less of a burden on the Turkish Straits, currently highly congested due to the heavy volume of oil tanker and hazardous cargo passage.

With a capacity of 50 million metric tons per year (1 million barrels per day) the BTC constitutes the main export route for the oil resources of the landlocked Caspian region. The agreement concluded with Kazakhstan on 16 June 2006 will extend the pipeline to the rich oil fields in Aktau.

The other component of the East-West Energy Corridor is the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) Natural Gas Pipeline, which became operational in 2007. It is also considered the first leg of the Trans-Caspian Natural Gas project which will tap into the world’s 4th largest natural gas reserves located in Turkmenistan and those in Kazakhstan.

The transportation of Caspian oil and natural gas resources via multiple pipelines to Europe through such projects as the interconnection of the gas pipeline networks of Turkey, Greece and Italy within the Southern Europe Gas Ring Project will also constitute an essential component of Europe’s energy diversification efforts.

In this context, the Turkey-Greece natural gas interconnector was inaugurated on 18 November 2007 at Ipsala with the participation of the Prime Ministers of Turkey and Greece, the President of Azerbaijan and the Ministers of Energy of Georgia and the United States. This endeavor representing the very first alternate route to provide Europe with natural gas from the Caspian Basin is of strategic significance as it will provide for the uninterrupted flow of natural gas from the Caspian Basin to the heart of Europe with the extension of the present pipeline to Italy by the year 2011.

Further efforts are also underway to construct the Nabucco pipeline project which envisages the transportation of natural gas via Turkey through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria. Turkey’s objective to become, through the realization of these projects, Europe’s fourth main artery of natural gas following Norway, Russia and Algeria will open up a new avenue for cooperation between Turkey and EU that will also reinforce Europe’s ties to Asia.

Other projects on the drawing board include the Samsun-Ceyhan by-pass oil pipeline project on the North-South axis. The ground breaking ceremony of this Turkish-Italian joint venture which will link the Black Sea to the Mediterranean was held on 24 April 2007 in Ceyhan. The project which is expected to take up to two years for completion will provide an economically viable and environmentally sustainable route to transport the 60 million tons of Kazakh and Russian oil expected to reach the Black Sea by 2010 to world markets via the Mediterranean.

Full construction and operation of the Arab natural gas pipeline to carry Egyptian gas to Turkey via Jordan and Syria is scheduled for 2009.

Through the completion of the projects cited above and more, it is anticipated that 6 to 7 % of global oil supply will transit Turkey by 2012 and that Ceyhan will become a major energy hub. These developments attest to the strategic role Turkey will increasingly assume as a major transit energy highway between the world’s economic centers and sources of energy.

AFGHANISTAN

Turkey and Afghanistan have historically enjoyed close relations that derive their strength from the strong bonds of friendship and solidarity between the two peoples. Afghanistan was the second country to recognize Turkey upon the proclamation of the Republic and close cooperation between the two countries was further strengthened under the leadership of Atatürk and Emanullah Han. In the early years of its statehood, Afghanistan was inspired by the reforms of the young Turkish Republic, which provided assistance in the establishment of important Afghan state organs, ministries, universities, hospitals, cultural institutions and army. Around 450 Turkish officials were sent to Afghanistan at the time in what constituted one of the first, if not the first, examples of state-to-state development assistance.

This assistance continues today under different circumstances. Turkey attaches great importance to the independence, national unity and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and the well-being and prosperity of the Afghan people. It has supported from the very onset the political process towards building democratic political structures and restoring peace and stability as well as the reconstruction effort in this country. Support for the political process has also been demonstrated by the training programs provided to the main political parties in Afghanistan. In the coming period, Turkey will also organize special training programs for the female deputies of the Afghan Parliament.

Turkey’s commitment to the preservation of stability and security in Afghanistan was reiterated during Prime Minister Erdoğan’s official visit in April 2005, the first visit at this level in more than 30 years, and President Karzai’s visit to Turkey in January 2006. The visit of Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Dadfar Spanta to Turkey in October 2006 was reciprocated by the former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 2007. This visit too served as yet another opportunity to renew this pledge and observe on the ground the tangible outcome of Turkey’s wide-ranging undertakings in Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan also visited the country in October 2007 to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization Ministerial Council in Herat.

To this end Turkey has participated in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) since its inception and assumed the command of ISAF II between June 2002 and February 2003 and ISAF VII between February and August 2005. A former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hikmet Cetin served as NATO’s first Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan for four consecutive terms which ended in August 2006.

Turkey continues to contribute to peace and security with approximately 800 personnel deployed in the country under the banner of ISAF, while also providing training for the Afghan National Army and Police Force. Some 1900 officers have already benefited from this opportunity. Having assumed the joint leadership of the Regional Command in Kabul (RCC)as of August 2006 together with France and Italy on a rotational basis for the next two years, Turkey led the Capital Command between April and December 2007.

The Turkish Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) continues to offer special training in anti-narcotics law enforcement to Afghan police officers and the Turkish government has allocated significant funds for programs to eradicate the illicit narcotics trade. More than 150 Afghan narcotics police officers have received training at TADOC based in Ankara.

Similarly Turkey has pledged 100 million Dollars for the reconstruction effort in this country and undertaken a number of projects predominantly in the fields of education, health and agriculture. The total amount of official development assistance rendered to date is in the range of 64 million Dollars. This is the most comprehensive ever sustainable development assistance program for one single country implemented by Turkey in its recent history. Turkey is also in the lead among the major investors in Afghanistan and Turkish contractors are completing important infrastructure projects with a total portfolio in excess of 1.4 billion Dollars. The quantity and the quality of our development aid for Afghanistan were significantly enhanced in 2006 when compared with the previous four years.

27 schools built and equipped throughout the country by Turkey offer some 38,000 students a better chance of education as well as equal opportunity for girls. Turkey also continues to provide vocational training for Afghan civil servants and has hosted to date some 500 officials for this purpose. Turkish-built-equipped and-operated health centers administer health care to approximately 900 patients on a daily basis. Over 750,000 patients have to date received treatment in the Turkish built and equipped health centers.

The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) established by Turkey in the province of Wardak in November 2006 constitutes another dimension of its overall commitment to the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. The Turkish PRT is supervising activities ranging from the construction of primary schools and a vocational school for agriculture, health clinics, water tanks, cold storage facilities, recreational sports centers and parks to training programs for the National Police Force and literacy courses for women and girls. The PRT also conducts aid campaigns in conformity with local traditions and customs during the religious holidays. The Police Training Center constructed by the Turkish PRT became fully operational in January 2008.

In the very short time that has elapsed since its establishment, the Turkish PRT has gained a significant visibility in Wardak and its activities the deep appreciation of the Afghan people and authorities. As such, the Turkish PRT is cited as a successful civilian model for future PRT’s to be established in other parts of the country.

These are significant steps underlining the concrete, continuous and strategic contribution of Turkey not only to the efforts in Afghanistan but also the ongoing quest for international security in the post-September 11 world as well as regional stability.

The diplomatic initiative taken by Turkey to host a summit meeting with the Presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan on 29-30 April 2007 was also inspired by the desire to contribute to regional peace and stability. The first Joint Working Group of this trilateral mechanism convened in Ankara on 6 July 2007.

Inspired by the successful experience of the Ankara Forum initiated by Turkey between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a similar trilateral process has also been launched with Pakistan and Afghanistan referred to as the Istanbul Forum, which intends to build confidence between the two neighboring countries through enhanced economic and commercial ties.

Turkey will continue to extend every possible support to the Afghani people on their path towards security, stability and democracy and in their labors to build a free and prosperous future for their country.

TERRORISM

Terrorism, whether carried out individually or collectively, poses a serious threat to international peace and security. Terrorism is a crime against humanity that violates fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life, and can have no justification under any circumstances. It is an evil that strikes at the very core of democracy, civil society as well as economic and social development. Turkey, who has deeply felt the effects of terrorism condemns in the strongest terms all acts and forms of terror. The serious threat to Turkey’s security posed by the PKK/KONGRA-GEL terrorist organization harbored in the north of Iraq continues unabated and creates a major source of contention with this neighboring country.

The terrorist attacks perpetrated against the United States on September 11, 2001, have demonstrated the severity of the threat that terrorism poses to humankind and underlined the need for solidarity and concerted international action in the global fight against terrorism. Turkey was among the very first to join the global coalition mobilized to defeat terrorism. In November 2003, Turkey was also the unfortunate target of the wave of terrorist attacks in major cities across the world in recent years. All these atrocities have demonstrated that terrorism recognizes no geographical boundaries and that no country is immune from this threat.

In order for the fight against terrorism to succeed, it has to be seen in the right perspective. Terrorism cannot be associated with any religion, culture, geography or ethnic group.

The fight against terrorism is thus the common fight of the civilized world. The fight against terrorism should be a comprehensive effort. The UN Security Council Resolutions 1373, 1546, 1566 and 1624 provide a valuable basis for the broad efforts to counter terrorism. Turkey is party to all twelve UN Conventions and Protocols on the combat with terrorism. Turkey also signed the International Convention on the Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism on 14 September 2005.

Turkey signed the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism on 19 January 2006 and the Council of Europe Convention on the Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism on 28 March 2007.

Further in this connection, Turkey hosted the second meeting in Ankara on 12-13 February 2007 of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Turkey became an initial partner of this initiative sponsored by the US together with the Russian Federation.

In the context of the required international solidarity in the fight against terrorism, the decision of the European Union in May 2002 to include the separatist/terrorist organization the PKK and the extreme leftist DHKP-C in the list of terrorist organizations, followed by its decision in April 2004 to include KADEK and KONGRA-GEL, both aliases of PKK, as well as IBDA-C in the said list, constituted a positive development.

A CLEAR VISION FOR THE FUTURE

There are two major objectives that drive Turkey’s foreign policy vision for the future.

The first goal is to make Turkey an integral part of the European Union. Historically, geographically and economically, Turkey is a European country. It is therefore quite natural that it should become a full member of the EU, at the conclusion of the accession negotiations initiated on 3 October 2005. This was a major step towards the attainment of this strategic objective. Turkey brings the contemporary standards of democracy, secularism, free market economy, good governance and habitual regional cooperation to the threshold of the Middle East and Eurasia.

While full integration with the European Union is a high foreign policy priority, it is by no means an alternative to Turkey’s strong transatlantic ties and strategic cooperation with the United States. Turkey believes that these relations complement rather than contradict one another.

Secondly, Turkey aims to proactively pursue the goal of helping to create an environment of security, stability, prosperity, friendship and cooperation all around itself at the natural convergence point of Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Central Asia.

Turkey is thus active in its foreign relations in all these regions and more. The adoption of the "Action Plan for Latin America" and the “Action Plan for Africa” in 1998 is a clear reflection of Turkey’s will and desire to further develop its relations and cooperation with the countries of these two continents.

2005 was commemorated as the Year of Africa in Turkey and a series of high level visits with the countries of the continent were realized as a matter of priority during the year. As a follow up to the Year of Africa, Turkey will host in Istanbul in August 2008 a Turkey-Africa Summit with the participation of political leaders from the Continent.

Turkey is actively committed to helping redress the chronic problems of the African continent. In this pursuit, the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) established its first local branch office for Africa in Addis Ababa in 2005, followed by offices in Khartoum in 2006 and Dakar in 2007 which serve as the coordination centers for Turkish humanitarian aid and development assistance to the continent. Recognized by the World Food Program (WFP) as one of the major donors for the food crisis in Africa, Turkey also contributes to six different UN and EU missions on the continent.

2006 on the other hand was observed as the Year of the Americas. A Ministerial Forum with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) this year in Istanbul is also under preperation.

Similarly, cognizant of the vast economic and political potential of the South Asia, Far East and Pacific regions, Turkey has also been pursuing a policy to enhance its ties with all countries of these regions. To this end Turkey also intends to convene a Ministerial meeting with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries of the South Pacific in Istanbul this year.

Turkey will benefit in the pursuit of the second goal from its numerous assets, including its pluralistic democracy and secular political system, tradition of modernity, free enterprising economy, diversified industrial base and a highly capable army that is experienced in peace-keeping. The political, economic and security initiatives Turkey has launched, which encompass diverse regions, will also be instrumental in attaining this goal.

Turkey is determined to actively contribute to the preservation of regional and global peace and stability. Turkey's pursuit to make the world a better and safer place also corresponds to the ideals enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, of which it is a founding member. Accordingly, Turkey has announced its candidature to the UN Security Council for the term 2009-2010 in a bid to assume an active role as a member of the Council devoted to the maintenance of international peace and security. Elections for membership to the Security Council where Turkey is a candidate from the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG) will be held during the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in 2008. Turkey is confident that with the support of the international community, it can assume a distinctive and constructive role with its European and Asian identity in harmonizing and reconciling different views within the Security Council, just as in its efforts to facilitate harmony between different cultures.

Turkey is also sensitive to global issues related to the safety and prosperity of humankind. Within this framework, the promotion and protection of human rights, safeguarding and enhancing the wellbeing of children, the promotion of the status of women, implementing and further developing the principles of sustainable development, combating the illicit trade of narcotic substances, organized crime and corruption as well as contributing to the enhancement of international cooperation for the preservation of the environment and an effective collective response to climate change are, inter alia, all high on its agenda.

The appointment of a prominent Turkish national, Mr. Kemal Dervis as the Administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for a four year term in August 2005 was a significant development, given the importance Turkey attributes to social and economic development issues.

The annual Ministerial Conference of Least Developed Countries hosted by Turkey in collaboration with the UNDP in Istanbul between 9-10 July 2007, was another concrete expression of its resolve to assist the developing world to take full advantage of the benefits of globalization.

Arms control and disarmament issues are also a high priority for Turkey. Active participation in international efforts to this end, adherence to and compliance with the relevant international instruments and observance of their full implementation are important elements of Turkey’s national security policy. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery is a growing threat in the 21st century. In light of the threat terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction pose for all societies, Turkey sincerely desires to see all countries come to share the goals of non-proliferation and collectively work towards a safer and more stable world order. Turkey is party to all existing international regimes for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including in particular the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its Additional Protocol.

Turkey’s economic and human potential, strong defense 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 Turkey to play a pivotal role in its region and beyond. Turkey certainly feels up to this important challenge and will continue to work closely with friends and allies in building a better world for future generations.

Last updated: January 2008

(1) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.

(2) Free Movement of Goods, Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services, Financial Services, Agriculture and Rural Development, Fisheries, Transport Policy, Customs Union and External Relations.

(3) UN Security Council Document S/2004/437.

(4) Letter dated 31 May 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, UN Document A/59/820/-S/2005/355.

(5) Letter dated 19 January 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, UN Document A/59/679/-S/2005/41.

(6) Letter dated 9 November 2007 from the Permanent Representatives of Iraq and Turkey to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, A/62/547-S/2007/672

For further information, please visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Foreign Policy