NEW YORK - The American Jewish Committee (AJC) presented on Monday Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan with ''Profiles in Courage'' award.
Addressing the ceremony held at HSBC building in New York, Erdogan said that Turks and Jews always had friendly relations based on mutual trust.
''One of the targets of the terrorist attacks that took place in Istanbul last November was the HSBC headquarters. This building has become the symbols of the free and civilized world in its fight with international terrorism. HSBC-Turkey healed its wounds in short time and continued its activities. The award presented to me today gives this message to outworn terrorist mentality:we will not give in to terrorism and we will be in solidarity to eliminate terrorism from the world. The terrorist attacks targeted both Jews and the sacred places of worship. Muslim and Jewish people died and were wounded in the attacks. Turkey is against all sorts of terrorism, and it supports the fight of the U.S. with international terrorism. There is no need for our Jewish friends to feel concern about the safety of Jewish community in Turkey, because they are our citizens,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan stressed that Turkish nation which was always far from feelings of xenophobia and Anti-Semitism, didn't ever hesitate to embrace Jewish people, adding that the Jewish community in Turkey regarded itself as a natural part of Turkey.
Expressing once again his proud of getting the award, Erdogan said that ''we work very hard to make Turkey a model country where freedoms are fully exercised, which is based on democracy, secularism and free market economy and principles of rule of law. I accept this award on behalf of millions of my citizens. The name of this courage is Selahattin Ulkumen, Necdet Kent, and Namýk Yolga, who were diplomats during the Second World War and who protected Jewish citizens by risking their lives.''
Pointing out to the momentum reached recently in Turkish-Israeli relations based on mutual understanding and trust, Erdogan said that cooperation with Israel could be further improved in all fields mainly in economic and commercial fields.
''Formation of common, qualified industrial zones among Turkey, U.S. and Israel is an important step,'' said Erdogan, adding that Turkey always pursued a constructive policy within the scope of Middle East Peace Process and believed that this process had to continue. Condemning terrorism strongly, Erdogan said that use of military power solely would not solve the problem. Everybody knew many people were victims of terrorism in Turkey, he said. The negative effects of these developments were not only deeply felt in Israeli and Palestinian territories, but in the whole region and international society, he said.
Erdogan said that both sides had to make cooperation with good will to end clashes, terrorism and violence within the scope of road map, adding that a big opportunity was attained for peaceful solution of the conflict, and it should not be missed. Erdogan said Turkey made public that it was ready to fulfil its mission in that regard, adding that he conveyed this to both his Israeli colleagues and Syrian President Bashar Al Asad.
Stressing that Turkey was ready to act as a mediator among these countries, Erdogan said that terrorism didn't have religion, race, nation and nationality.
Underlining the need for an international platform to fight with terrorism, Erdogan said that ''you can find ordinary criminals easily. But there were suicide bombers in the last terrorist attack in Istanbul. The main thing is to find the source of terrorism and eliminate it. There have been definitions like Islamic terrorism, this made me sad as a Muslim. No religion based on the belief of one God can support or approve terrorism.''
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) Chairman Jacob Rosen said in his part that EU should give a date to Turkey for membership as soon as possible, pointing out to the importance of Turkey for the west.
Rosen said that Turkey had close relations with the Jewish culture and Israel.
HSBC President Martin Glynn said that Turkey was the target of terrorism due to its face turned towards the west and the last attacks in Istanbul had to be considered within that scope.
Glynn said that the secular and modern Turkey, which was one of the main allies of the U.S., had also earlier fought with terrorism. He added that HSBC was resolved to continue its activities in Turkey.
(ÖÞ) 27.01.2004