PRESIDENT SEZER: FUNDAMENTALIST THREAT AIMS AT CHANGING BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR STATE

Turkish Press
Oct 2 2006

ANKARA – "Fundamentalist threat aims at changing the basic
characteristics of our state," said Turkish President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer on Sunday.

Addressing the parliamentary general assembly to mark the beginning of
the new legislative year, President Sezer noted, "the globalization
process deepens mutual dependence and shapes geo-political and
geo-strategic situation in the world. Global security and global
economy became the most important concepts in our century."

"The new security atmosphere has changed traditional perceptions of
threat. As a result, dimension of security has changed from the concept
of national security into the regional and global security," he said.

"Turkey has been face to face with gradually increasing internal
and external threats and risks targeting its territorial integrity,
national unity and political regime. Those risks and threats stem
from separatist and fundamentalist activities, international
terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and
regional problems. Turkey has succeeded in protecting its stability
and prosperity against these security issues thanks to its sound
democratic and secular structure, and our social attitude rejecting
all kinds of ethnic and religious discrimination," he stressed.

"Success of the fight against terrorism requires a global
cooperation. And success of such a cooperation depends on definition
and evaluation of all terrorist organizations as a joint target.

Supporting terrorist organizations and remaining silent against acts
of terrorism targeting the other countries affect the global fight
against terrorism negatively. Any country cannot win this fight on
its own," he said.

President Sezer noted, "as one of countries which suffered most from
terrorism, Turkey supports the global fight against terrorism with
great determination. Unfortunately, our friendly and neighboring
countries failed to support Turkey in its fight against the terrorist
organization. A common attitude and an active cooperation are the
only way of solution against the separatist terrorism stemming from
the northern part of Iraq. Turkey preserves its legitimate right to
defense itself against external terrorism."

"Separatist terrorism is a universal crime against humanity. Turkey
is determined to maintain its fight against separatist terrorism
within the rules of the state of law till the terrorist organization
is totally eliminated. I want to highlight the importance of efforts
to resolve socio-economic problems of the eastern and southeastern
regions besides our armed fight against terrorism," he said.

-"THREAT OF FUNDAMENTALISM"-

"Another threat targeting our security is fundamentalism.

Fundamentalist threat aims at changing the basic characteristics
of our state. The key point in our fight against fundamentalism is
secularism. The fight against fundamentalism entails us to protect
the secular structure of our Republic, to prevent use of religion and
religious values for political purposes and to inform our people,"
he said,

President Sezer emphasized that the Turkish Armed Forces is the
guarantee of existence and continuity of the Turkish state and
political regime.

-"DEVELOPMENTS IN FOREIGN POLICY"

"There are important developments in the foreign policy. In line with
our national interests, we have to provide a convenient atmosphere
around us with the aim of sustaining our development in security.

Turkey`s unique position between the west and the east entails us to
pursue a realistic, influential and multi-dimensional foreign policy,"
he said.

Referring to the EU membership process, President Sezer said,
"our target of EU full membership is one of the priorities of our
foreign policy. The EU has put forward a strategic point of view by
formally opening entry talks with Turkey. We believe that progress of
our accession process without interruption will also make valuable
contributions to global peace. However, some circles oppose to our
membership on the basis of cultural and religious differences, and
support Greek Cypriot efforts for opening of Turkish ports and airports
to the Greek Cypriot traffic. They encourage the uncompromising
attitude of the Greek Cypriot administration. The EU should direct
the Greek Cypriot administration to a comprehensive solution based on
political equality and bi-zonality in line with the United Nations`
parameters."

"Our target of the EU full membership and the bilateral relations
with the United States are leading topics of our foreign policy. Our
relations with the EU and the United States complete each other and
form the European-Atlantic tie. Current conditions in the world has
increased importance of the Turkish-American relations. We attach
great importance to our cooperation with the United States in the
fight against the terrorist organization. Creation of a zone of
harmony and stability is one of our essential targets," he said.

-RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES-

"I believe that development of Turkish-Greek relations on the basis
of mutual confidence and friendship will help efforts to resolve the
bilateral problems. Any progress to this end will also have a positive
impact on the Mediterranean region. We expect Greece to fulfil its
commitments stemming from the international agreements and to resolve
problems of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace," he stressed.

Highlighting importance of stability in the Balkans, President Sezer
said, "Turkey attaches great importance to creation of a peaceful
atmosphere in the Balkans on the basis of mutual understanding and
cooperation, and will continue maintaining its contributions to
protection of regional stability."

Referring to relations with Russia, President Sezer said, "Turkey
and Russia maintain their cooperation to reach their joint target
of a multi-dimensional partnership. Development of the cooperation
between Turkey and Russia, two important countries in Eurasia and the
Black Sea region, will contribute to peace, stability and prosperity
in the whole region."

"One of the most important targets of our foreign policy is
to make Eurasia a region of stability and cooperation. The
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline became a meaningful symbol of the
regional cooperation. This cooperation will extend to the Central Asia
after participation of Kazakhstan in the project. We aim at creating
an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation in southern Caucasus,"
he said.

Expressing Turkey`s pleasure with steps taken by Azerbaijan to
consolidate its distinguished place in the international community,
President Sezer said, "the Upper Karabakh dispute should be resolved
and Azerbaijan should regain its territorial integrity."

-IRAN-

Stating that they have been monitoring developments regarding Iran`s
nuclear program with a great concern, Sezer said, "Turkey respects
Iran`s right to develop nuclear technology with peaceful objectives.

However, Iran should have a transparent cooperation with international
community."

-IRAQ-

"The situation in Iraq where several people die every day has turned
into a tragedy of humanity. Turkey will keep assisting Iraq and Iraqi
people during their difficult days. The main goal of our relations
with all sections in this country aim at maintenance of territorial
integrity and political unity of Iraq."

-MIDDLE EAST-

Stating that problems in the Middle East prevented the region from
reaching a lasting stability in the region, he said, "Turkey hopes
that the Middle East will be a region of friendship and cooperation."

"Turkey believes that if all countries in the Middle East adopt
universal democratic values, it will contribute to peace and
cooperation in the region," he stressed.

Sezer noted that there was no need to redefine universal values like
democracy and modernism with additions like `moderate Islam`, stating
that secularism was the criterion of modernism which regulated the
relation between Islam and democracy.

Recalling that Turkey condemned terrorist attacks on the United States
on September 11th, 2001, Sezer indicated, "some circles` efforts
to make a parallelism between Islam and terror are meaningless. It
is clear that mentioning terrorist activities (in the Middle East)
together with Islam can cause dangerous results. Within this scope,
leaders of Christian world should refrain from statements and attitudes
which may cause the people who have different belief to offend."

Sezer said, "the solution of Palestinian issue is the key factor for
settlement of peace and stability in the region." He stated that the
solution frame that was put forward by the UN is that "Israel and
Palestine should live together peacefully within borders recognized
by international community."

"Turkey believes in this solution frame. Turkey`s close relations with
Israel and Palestine will contribute to this objective. The country
will continue its initiatives on this direction," he underlined.

Sezer indicated that the countries in the Middle East should fulfill
their duties and should be in favor of peace.

-CENTRAL ASIA-

Stating that Turkey aimed to boost its relations with countries
in Central Asia, Sezer said that Turkey would keep assisting these
countries in its efforts on development, democratization and the area
of human rights.

"Humanitarian aids that Turkey extended to several regions of the
world, our location and our sound attitudes made the country which
is wanted in solutions of global problems," he stressed.

Sezer added that the motto of Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic
who said, "Peace at Home, Peace in World" caused Turkey to advance
in the course of history.