GENERAL ERGIN SAYGUN SPEECH TRANSCRIPTION
ATC DINNER IN HONOR OF GEN. ERGIN SAYGUN, DEPUTY CHIEF,
TURKISH GENERAL STAFF
JANUARY 28, 2008
THE CAUCUS ROOM
Content Copyright © 2008 American-Turkish Council
`General Scowcroft, thank you very much for those most philanthric
words. I do not have a speech; this is my prepared speech.’ [holds up
small sheet. laughter. `All-right’ from crowd] `Well don’t say
all-right. This could last for about two hours.’ [laughter]
`I must thank you, on my own behalf and also on behalf of my team for
this generous hospitality, which we are used to whenever we visit
Washington. The hospitality of ATC, friends of Turkey in this country,
and what they’ve done in promoting Turkey and being the voice of the
Turkish people in this country, is beyond recognition and beyond
appreciation. So we are grateful for what you are doing and what you
have been doing and we know that it will continue.
We also appreciate very much your contributions to the relations between
two countries. We know that the relations between our two states, Turkey
and the United States, wouldn’t be where it is today without your
support. President Gul during his recent visit to Washington, delivered
a speech, at an ATC event and highlighted your contributions to the
economic and commercial development of Turkey and the United States. We
know of this contribution because although there are some obstacles, we
know that this relationship is growing day by day.’
`We are here with my team for the just-concluded HLDG meetings. I am
pleased that we have again found that we don’t have big problems as far
as policies, our relationship, and understanding each other with our
American counterparts is concerned, that is good and most encouraging.’
`The HLDG, as you know, deals with military cooperation. That includes
training exercises, procurements in defense industries. In all of those
areas, we haven’t reached a complete agreement, but we reached to an
agreement to make sure that work on this issues will continue and we’ll
do our best to settle any outstanding issues. There is a committee for
this on both sides, Assistant Secretary Long and I have set deadlines
for these issues that includes FMS export licenses. I also had the
chance to meet senior military and civilian officials including General
Cartwright, who is in the loop on all these activities together with
others. We also discussed the operations we are doing in Northern Iraq
with General Cartwright and General Petreous.’
`I also met with Nicholas Burns and various other people. We have
similar approaches to similar problems. We have in front of us big
issues such as Kosovo, which will declare its independence next month.
It will bring a new era for the Balkans but also carries the possibility
of bringing with it some problems associated with the regional and
external countries. So we need to do more in Kosova and make sure that
whatever the outcome it is long-lived. We also need to do a little bit
better in Afghanistan, to which the United States is contributing
another thirty-two hundred marines to secure the southern gap. The US,
of course, is expecting other allies to follow suit. At least to
contribute large and small capabilities.’
`We fully share these concerns. Our American friends understand us, that
we have and we believe we are doing our share as far as Afghanistan is
concerned. We lead ISAF twice, the Kabul International Airport twice.
Bilaterally, we are providing huge amounts of training and rebuilding,
refurbishing, also providing instructors. You name it, because we know
NATO has to succeed in Afghanistan and has no other choice.’
`Iraq, of course, is another area. We, are working very close,
militarily, with, our American colleagues and also initiated first
contact with the Iraqis. We have made quite clear that we intend to
increase our relations with the Iraqi army, in the long run, which we
believe will be to the benefit of the two countries. There are other
issues like energy security, central Asia, and various other things.
If I can come back to the Armenian resolution that General Scowcroft
mentioned. I have raised this issue with everyone I have talked with so
far. There are small things which shadow our relations. The priests
school or ecumenical statutes of the patriarch, the Armenian border or
relations with Cyprus. These things are so small compared to what we can
do together, the huge issues like Central Asia, like the Caucuses, the
Black Sea region, and energy security. I find it exceedingly difficult
to understand why we let these small things overshadow our bigger
interests. I agree with all of the things I have heard during this
visit, that defense industry cooperation would be better. I have been
hearing different stories, different opinions and I make a commitment to
go after them and find out exactly what the problem is.’
`We have some US companies entering in Turkey but the majority still
aren’t, and there are different reasons for it. I am determined to dig
out what the real reasons are. You might say `Well, this is not
something new this has been going on for some time. Well, its always
time to start. I will have to look into this.’
`Another issue that I wish to bring to your attention is what Turkish
defense industry can provide to the United States. When you look at Iraq
or Afghanistan, when you look at your maintenance repair requirements,
especially on some of the equipment which all militaries use, we have
excellent maintenance and repair facilities. So instead of shipping all
of these all the way down to the United States, you can bring them down
to Turkey, and we will provide the necessary logistical support. This is
an issue which I think is being worked on and NAMSA (NATO Maintenance
and Supply Agency) has visited Turkey, making an inspection of the
facilities.’
`We, of course, appreciate very much America’s efforts in fighting
terrorism. We also appreciate very much that the United States from the
very onset, declared the PKK a terrorist organization. That was a big
support for us, and I do hope that other allies will see this reality
and will start supporting us rather than supporting the PKK. What we are
doing with the United Sates is exactly in line with what NATO has said
when it declared Article 5 of the Agreement after 9/11. It says, please
exchange intelligence and please cooperate against this menace, the
menace of terrorism. What we are doing in Northern Iraq, of course, we
know we are very cautious, first about collateral damage. We have done
everything possible to make sure no civilians are hurt. So far we know
that no civilians are hurt. Please do not believe the misinformation
that has been provided, stating that Turkish military forces are hitting
villages and are killing civilians. We have not hit a village, we have
not hit any schools or hospitals. Nothing. We can verify with the BDA,
the Bomb Damage Assessment after each mission, and with the UAVs that
are provided by the US authorities.
So we are after the PKK, but we have no intention of fighting other
people unless they intend to fight with us. We have no intention of
occupying any part of Iraq. If we go in, we will come out when we are
finished. Its as simple as that. We know that the security of Iraq and
the security of North Iraq is directly related to the security and
stability of Turkey. Therefore we will refrain from any action that will
distance the security of the state. These are the basic points and
principles of our operations, and what we are doing is, in our view, in
line with what Prime Minister Maliki and Prime Minister Erdogan agreed,
when Maliki visited Turkey.’
`Again the commitment of the United States at the highest level, the
Presidential level, to this endeavor is very much appreciated. We will
not misuse it, and we will do our best to make sure that the commitments
we have made will be kept.
Speaking of commitments, we know that you cannot fight and finish
terrorism. You can fight a terrorist that’s what we are doing. But in
order to finish terrorism, other measures are required: socially,
economically, diplomatically, whatever, and our government at the
National Security Council level has made sure that Turkey has taken this
commitment in working with these issues. Some of the measures are
already in place and others will be rigorously pursued.’
`So this is all I have to say to give you a sort of update of what is
happening. There are other issues, such as Iran, Syria, Russia
activities, activities in the region, but I don’t want to spoil a nice
and delicious dinner. General Scowcroft, thank you very much again. ATC
thank you very much and of course, Preston, where are you? Thank you.
He’s an old friend. I know him for, God knows how many years; twenty
years? Yes sir, at least that. He’s always around when you need him.
Good characteristics. Thanks again. Thanks a lot for your generous
hospitality. I thank ATC, again for what you have been doing for so
long.
Thank you very much.’