Erdogan: Turkey Can Build Example Of Harmony Of Civilizations Together With Europe

MILAN - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey, with its Islamic heritage, could build the best example of ''harmony of civilizations'' hand in hand with Europe by disproving the theses of ''conflict of civilizations.''
Erdogan spoke in the session on ''Country Profile: Turkey'' in Ambrosetti Forum held at Villa d'Este Hotel on the bank of Como lake in Italy.
They aimed to bring Turkey to the league of developed countries rapidly with the reforms they had made since they came to power, Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that they were preparing Turkey for the European Union (EU).
One of the most important priorities of the government was integration with the EU, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan recalled that seven adjustment packages were put into practice as a part of efforts to integrate with the EU.
''With these adjustment packages, Turkey has completed its adjustment to regulations foreseen by the Copenhagen political criteria, which are the precondition of beginning of EU full membership negotiations,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan pointed out that people, public opinion and non-governmental organizations were behind them in that process and the opposition parties were also supporting them.
Everybody knew that majority of Turkish people favored EU membership, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that Turkey's modernization efforts had continued for over 150 years and Turkey had defined itself as ''European'' since the reforms made after the Republic was founded 80 years ago under leadership of Ataturk.
Therefore, Erdogan noted, Turkey had taken part in almost all economic, political and defense organizations of Europe.
Erdogan said, ''what makes Turkey a European is its adoption of values represented by Europe, pluralist democracy, pluralism, rule of law, human rights, secularism, freedom of thought and conscience.''
Stating that the world had changed after the World War II, Erdogan said that the process was not easy and free of problems. He added that the new world order had not been totally settled yet.
Erdogan pointed out that this process could be very problematic from time to time as experienced in the Balkans.
''The basis of the new order of Europe is no other thing than the EU. We can actively contribute to re-shaping both the global and the European values as a full member of the EU. We can support strengthening of European values as a model country. We can make Turkey a country of liberties in direction of highest standards in the EU. With the Islamic heritage we own, we can build the best example of 'harmony of civilizations' hand in hand with Europe by disproving the theses of 'conflict of civilizations.' In the Copenhagen summit held last year, the EU decided to evaluate whether or not open full membership negotiations with Turkey in December 2004. Although the Copenhagen resolutions have not totally satisfied our country, we have to admit that Turkey-EU relations were settled on such a concrete perspective for the first time.'' Erdogan said.
Stating that the decision on Turkey's EU membership was taken years before, Erdogan then explained the steps taken in this issue.
Erdogan said that people, who pioneered the forming of EU, based the philosophy of today's EU on the understanding of ''cooperation and solidarity which would be open to volunteerism and to every willing country''.
Erdogan said, ''it is not surprising that Turkey, within this understanding which is appropriate to the system of values and basic principles of our Republic, applied for membership to European Economic Community on July 31, 1959 which is 1,5 years later than the community was formed. Because, Turkey has seen its relations, which have a 44 years of past with the community, that was later transformed to EU, as a natural extension of its own civilization project.''
Noting that there had been various periods in Turkey-EU relations during this time and agitation was overcome, Erdogan said that the real change was made by Helsinki Summit in December 1999.
Erdogan said that they confirmed that both Turkey and EU partnership were directed towards full membership with official registration of Turkey's candidacy. He added that thus, an unreturnable process started in the path to full membership which was envisioned in 1963 Ankara Agreement.
Erdogan said, ''accession perspective of our country was also confirmed in EU summits held after that year. Turkey's steps in fulfilling political and economic criteria of Copenhagen was appreciated in the last three summits and it was stated that this brings the start of accession negotiations closer.''
''We aim that the commission will reflect the positive developments in our country appropriately in its progress report of 2003. We also want the Commission to take the decision on starting membership negotiations without any delay at the latest in the end of 2004. The revised National Program which we have announced a short time ago was prepared served these aims,'' noted Erdogan.
Erdogan said that Turkey made comprehensive constitutional and legal amendments to adjust to Copenhagen political criteria which were a precondition to start accession negotiations and also it signed some international conventions. He added that comprehensive programs were implemented for the training of judges and prosecutors about the provisions of European Convention on Human Rights and conviction of the European Court of Human rights.

ERDOGAN: TURKEY WILL PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN EU WITH ITS SECULAR AND INITIATIVE IDENTITY, POPULATION, SPECIAL POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC EFFICIENCY
Turkish parliament formed an EU Adjustment Commission in order to conduct adjustment works more efficiently, Erdogan recalled.
Erdogan said that Turkey had taken important steps to adjust to Copenhagen economic criteria although they were not a precondition for beginning of full membership negotiations with the EU.
Stating that significant structural reforms had been made, Erdogan noted that almost all legal ground for EU adjustment had been laid thanks to the adopted laws.
Erdogan said that settling a sustainable growth rate, achieving a permanent decrease in inflation, and bringing the ratio of public debts and public debt stock to gross domestic product to the average in EU countries were the priorities of their economic policy.
''Adjustment to Copenhagen and Maastricht criteria in EU membership process is the main perspective of determining economic policies. Strengthening market economy and increasing competitive power are prior targets. In this context, decreasing the economic burden of the state through privatization, transferring market regulation to independent regulatory agencies, strengthening private entrepreneurship and overcoming legal obstacles and economic indefiniteness which have negative impact on operation of free market are of special importance. Also, financial sector reform and efforts to open public sectors to competition will continue. One of the important aims of the economic policy will be to eliminate differences in level of development among regions and between Turkey and the EU,'' Erdogan stated.
Erdogan noted that Turkey had shown its resistance to competition in the EU with its competitive power in the Customs Union which had been in practice since 1996.
There had been significant political and economic changes in the world since the beginning of 1990s, Erdogan pointed out.
Erdogan emphasized that new power balances had occurred after the two-bloc war era ended.
When discussions on new world order started, world economy entered into a historic transformation process in which developments in computer and communication technology and structure of production were observed, Erdogan said.
Erdogan stated that countries which used technology well became successful in that process while the countries which were in an effort to continue the old structure of production regressed.
In this context, establishment of free market economy, settlement of comprehensive economic stability and liberalization constituted basis of Turkish economy which was integrating with the globalizing world economies, Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that Turkey was gradually getting a place in world economy in the globalization process.
Turkey joined the World Trade Organization as a founder member in 1995, Erdogan said.
Erdogan stated that Turkey signed free trade agreements with 15 countries, became the focus of businessmen of Middle East, Commonwealth of Independent States and Black Sea littoral states in the last decade and undertook the role of a bridge among these mentioned regions.
Turkey's efficiency in Eurasia and other geographies increased with its new position in the EU and its strategic and economic power, Erdogan pointed out.
''We are improving our economic and political relations with the EU with the power we get from Eurasia,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that Turkish economy faced some difficulties in 2000 and 2001 due to the Asia crisis and Russian crisis and the economic program prepared in consultation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank was put into practice.
The program was being implemented without any concessions, Erdogan said.
Erdogan went on saying, ''the priority of our financial policy is to provide the targeted budgetary non-interest surplus by implementing necessary financial discipline. Our monetary policy is to decrease inflation in short term and enable price stability in the medium term. The Central Bank continues to be autonomous. Putting into implementation structural reforms besides providing monetary and financial discipline creates atmosphere of confidence and decreases indefiniteness.''
''Turkey recorded 7 percent growth rate in the first quarter of this year. High inflation problem has started to be overcome. The inflation rate is minus in the last three months. Significant decrease is recorded in interest rates. Industrial production is increasing and our exports continue to increase. Stability and confidence in markets have started to be seen thanks to all these efforts. Our efforts to reduce debts continue and we target at decreasing the inflation to 20 percent by the end of this year,'' Erdogan said.
Noting that the problems were not overcome completely, Erdogan said, ''sensitive balances in economic structure are continuing. We are acting carefully and in responsibility by being conscious of this. We are careful with social balances. But, we do not permit populist policies which increase expenses.''
''We have an ambitious economic agenda. We are in favor of a small sized but effective public sector. We are planning to make privatization in fields such as tobacco and alcohol. We are developing a big privatization policy which is also open to foreign investors,'' noted Erdogan.
Erdogan said, ''we are speeding up the privatization of the production and distribution facilities of electricity by opening the energy market to competition.''
Noting that they were trying to recover investment environment to encourage direct foreign investments, Erdogan gave information about the legal arrangements which were made with this aim.
Erdogan said that they aimed Turkish economy to record a rapid growth until 2015 and a progress would be made especially in automotive, electronic and production industries and chemistry industry would be added to this.
Noting that they saw EU membership not only as an aim but also a tool to bring modern civilization level to Turkish people, Erdogan said, ''what ties Turkey and EU with each other are common political, economic and strategical interests. When Turkey becomes full member of EU, it will play a leading role with its secular and initiative identity, population, special political and strategic efficiency.''
Erdogan said that they knew that in public opinion of some member countries, there were many concerns, reservations and oppositions and when those were examined well, it could be seen that many of them were either exaggerated or baseless.
Erdogan said that claiming that Turkish and European cultures could not intermingle with each other by differentiating between them contradicted with basic philosophy of EU which aimed to unite around modern values. He added that it was not true to make such a claim for Turkey in which modern culture and life styles were adopted and fulfilled for 80 years.
Erdogan said, ''Europe has never had unchanged borders. Also the borders of EU have not been defined until today. All enlargement processes of the union until today have depended on political realities instead of geographies. The conditions for membership to union within the existing EU acquis are adopted as Copenhagen criteria.''
TURKEY, WHICH HAS RECORDED ANNUAL 8 PERCENT GROWTH RATE, WILL CAUSE AN ECONOMIC DYNAMISM IN EU
''Turkey's demography will not cause any problem as claimed. Turkey's population, which is currently over 65 million, will reach 80-85 million in 20-25 years and will stay at this level. Therefore, Turkey's population will not cause any problems as feared and it will always have a small numerical rate in the EU like 10 percent,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan stated that Turkey would activate young and dynamic potential by structural changes to be made in the following ten years and thus, get closer to the EU.
And, Turkey would not cause any burden for the EU budget as believed, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan went on saying, ''I want to draw your attention to an important point here. Turkey has achieved to continue the Customs Union in practice since January 1, 1996 without any EU financial assistance promised to be given. Even, Turkey has provided net foreign exchange transfer with the big foreign trade deficit that has occurred. It is not right to claim that Turkey, which has completed an advanced economic and commercial integration process with the EU countries like the Customs Union without being a burden to the EU, will be a burden for the union in case it becomes a full member.''
''Customs Union has shown the power of our industry and our developed competitive power. Turkish economy has a very resistant and dynamic structure which can't be noticed by people outside Turkey most of the time but which is observed by the economists who are dealing with Turkey,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan pointed out that Turkish economy managed to recover in two years despite quake disasters and financial crisis and recorded a growth rate of almost 8 percent in 2002.
The EU should act by being conscious of the contributions that Turkey could make to the Union, Erdogan said.
Erdogan emphasized that strategic dimension that Turkey could bring to the EU, which was in the process of enlargement, was very important.
''In this context, if the EU is to become a world power, the advantages that Turkey, which is a center of energy, transportation and trade at the intersection points of East Mediterranean, Black Sea and Caspian Basin, can bring to the EU are obvious. Because, Turkey has the potential to affect EU's security and political and economic stability and interests. In case peace and stability can't be settled in the East Mediterranean, the EU will not have the right to speak on the security and stability of the main transportation and energy lines and this will weaken the assertion of Europe to become a global power,'' Erdogan said.
''On the other hand, the decision of EU on starting negotiations with Turkey will have important political, cultural and social reflections. I believe that EU will avoid new divisions which have the potential of being more dangerous than the past ideological division in European continents and with the common sense that the union will show by taking the decision of starting negotiations with Turkey will contribute to the reinforcement of tolerance among civilizations and spread of the values it defends to the other parts of the world,'' noted Erdogan.
Erdogan said that a Turkey, which united with EU, would have an important contribution to the peace, stability and security of European continent and in turning the union to a power that had global dimension by undertaking an indispensable role in preventing the possible political and cultural divisions.
Noting that the government would carry on its studies on EU issue by the strength it took from the support of the majority of Turkish people, Erdogan said, ''we, as Turkey, are preparing for negotiations and working all together to reach a new structure. We observe that necessary will is shaping in EU as well and we are pleased of it. But, we have the consciousness that this process will not be easy. Our mutual benefit is so big that we believe that our EU friends will be beside us while we are walking on that path.''
(GC-BRC) 07.09.2003