TURKISH PREMIER SAYS NEW FOREIGN POLICY BOOSTS FOREIGN, REGIONAL PROFILE

Anadolu Agency
Nov 1 2009
Turkey

Ankara, 31 October: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
on Saturday, "we have nothing to do with people who see terrorism as
a legitimate way and kill innocent people on this path."

Addressing the nation, Erdogan said that they would not let terrorism
capture Turkey, adding that they had to open a new page in history
which would bring dialogue, harmony and integration instead of hostile
feelings and aggressive judgments.

Erdogan said that the process "democratic move" was in fact a
multidimensional "national unity" process. He added that the object of
the democratic move was not only to end terrorism but also to remove
the obstacles before the well-being of the country and brotherhood
of the people.

This is a move of love, peace and brotherhood, he added.

Erdogan said that they wanted everybody in the country to have basic
rights and freedoms without question.

We want everybody in this country to count on the state, and feel
safe in democracy, said Erdogan.

Erdogan said that Turkey’s active foreign policy vision was boosting
the international prestige of the country each day. He added that
Turkey had been in a very pleasing period regarding the solution of
regional problems and relations with neighbours.

Erdogan said that October was a very fruitful month, adding that
Istanbul hosted IMF-World Bank meetings on 6 and 7 October, and
nearly 15,000 people from 200 countries visited Turkey for these
meetings. He said that also Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly
meeting took place in Istanbul on 23 October.

He said that Turkey hosted many high-level international summits
and meetings in recent years and it showed the rising international
prestige of Turkey.

Recalling that they held very beneficial diplomatic meetings with
close neighbours and friendly countries in October, Erdogan said that
formal protocols were signed by Turkey and Armenia on 10 October
to normalize relations. He added that on 14 October, Armenian and
Turkish presidents watched a soccer game between the national teams
of the two countries in Turkish northwestern province of Bursa.

Erdogan expressed hope that the disagreements between Turkey and
Armenia would be solved by historians and scientists, and the two
countries develop relations.

We also want Upper Karabakh issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan
to be solved through dialogue, said Erdogan adding that Turkey had
always seen interests of Azerbaijan as the interests of Turkey.

Erdogan also said that Turkey and Syria mutually lifted visa procedures
in October, adding that the relations between the two countries were
gaining momentum each day.

Noting that they paid a historical visit to Iraq on 15 October,
Erdogan said that Turkey and Iraq signed a total of 48 memorandums
of understanding to develop cooperation almost on every area.

Erdogan said that now Turkey was getting prepared to mutually start
a strategic cooperation process with Russia.

Regarding his visit to Pakistan, Erdogan said that they held very
fruitful meetings and exchanged views about regional peace, global
economic crisis and international matters. He added that Turkish
businessmen made important connections with Pakistani business circles.

Noting that he proceeded from Pakistan to Iran, Erdogan said that
they launched new initiatives to increase economic and commercial
relations. He added that they discussed to restore peace in the
Middle East as well as energy policies, fight against terrorism and
nuclear weapons.

Erdogan said that Turkey’s stance about Iran’s nuclear programme
was clear, adding that Turkey wanted to live in a region which was
purified from nuclear weapons.