ANKARA - The Ambassadors representing Turkey abroad, who held a conference in Ankara under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, released a final statement on Friday.
The statement said, "in the Conference, discussions covered the profound transformation process in our world that has begun as a result of the dynamics of the post-Cold War period, new parameters that emerged in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, as well as the positive and negative developments globalization has brought about. In this context, potential developments in 5-10 years' time were examined."
"In all the sessions, it was assessed that in the present complex juncture, Turkey, with its strategic location and rapid adaptation to the necessities of our age, has assumed significant forward looking responsibilities related to the issues that occupy the agenda of the international society. Also, it was expressed that in a problem-ridden geography Turkey projects security and prosperity as a respected and responsible actor whose cooperation and contributions are sought for," noted the statement.
It said, "Turkey should implement in the 21st century with a view to pursuing a proactive, effective and future oriented foreign policy and successfully assuming the new responsibilities it faces. It was emphasized that Turkish foreign policy should maintain its capacity for adapting to changing international conditions, as it has done so far."
"During the Conference, the state of play with regards to Turkey's accession process to the European Union (EU) was reviewed. In this context, it was reaffirmed that accession to the EU is a strategic goal for Turkey. During the meeting, the importance of the continuation of our reform process, both in terms of its political and technical aspects, and the efforts of some circles in the EU to slow down the accession negotiations through the creation of various political agendas were elaborated on," said the statement.
The statement noted, "during the Conference, our strategic partnership and multidimensional cooperation with the US, which constitutes an integral part of our orientation towards the West, were discussed. During the meeting, it was reaffirmed that the agendas of Turkey and the US in our neighbourhood and beyond overlap to a large extent and that bilateral relations matter not only for the common interests of the two countries but also for the promotion and maintenance of regional/global peace, security and stability. The importance of sustaining the momentum, in the period ahead, to enhance Turkish-US relations in every sphere was also emphasized."
"Developments concerning Iraq were evaluated in the Conference. In this context, it was once more emphasized that maintaining the territorial integrity and national unity of Iraq is of vital importance. It was also underlined that Turkey will continue to make every effort to ensure that a democratic, prosperous and sovereign Iraq, which has established its internal peace and security, takes its deserved place in the international community. The critical importance for the future of Iraq of creating a political consensus in Kirkuk where all the local communities will be able to coexist peacefully with equal rights was also stressed," noted the statement.
It said, "PKK terrorism and the ongoing existence of the terrorist organization in the north of Iraq were also discussed during the Conference. In this context, it was stressed that the primary goal is the elimination of the threat of terrorism posed against the integrity of our country, social harmony and stability. The determination to continue our multidimensional efforts at home and abroad on a permanent basis to end the terrorist activities and the existence of PKK - which is internationally accepted as a terrorist organization - was reaffirmed during the Conference."
(GC)
(DIP)