ISTANBUL - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech at the meeting at the 3rd meeting of Foreign Ministers of Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum (TAC) and the 5th meeting of TAC Economic Forum at the Four Seasons Hotel in Istanbul on Thursday.
Erdogan said that Turkey voted "no" to UN Security Council's sanctions against Iran, because Turkey, Iran and Brazil signed nuclear swap deal.
"If we had not said 'no' to sanctions, we would have denied ourselves. It would be a dishonor. We would not want to participate in such a dishonor because history will not forgive us," Erdogan told the meeting.
Erdogan said Turkey wanted Iran's nuclear issue to be solved through diplomatic ways and the country would keep exerting efforts on the matter.
"We are putting forth our clear and bold attitude in regard to global issues and humane matters without making racial, regional or geographical discrimination. We are exerting great efforts for peace, stability and prosperity in Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East," he said.
Erdogan thanked participants of the forum and said, "we share the same geography and also share a common history, culture and civilization."
Premier Erdogan said all ministers in the Turkish cabinet, bureaucrats, bussinesspeople and nongovernmental organizations were working to boost cooperation with other countries.
"Boosting friendly relations between Turkey and Arab countries with which we have common culture and civilization and struggling for the country's tranquility and prosperity cause some comments. Especially in the recent period, some said that 'does Turkey's axis change?' or 'does Turkey enter in a different course?' Those who have tried to prevent Turkey's relations with Arab world for a long period try to do the same thing today," he said.
In regard to Turkey's EU accession process, Erdogan said that Turkey applied for membership of the European Economic Community in 1959 and no concrete step has been taken since then.
"We started accession talks in 2005. Negotiations are continuing now. Some EU countries try to slow down Turkey's bid for EU membership. Some try to discourage Turkey, but we don't care any of them. Turkey continues to fulfill reforms to meet EU requirements. We are aware of 'secret agenda', but we are continuing with reforms," he said.
Erdogan said Thursday the Tehran agreement was made after Turkey consulted with the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Erdogan said he did not want to go into details about Turkey's talks with the permanent members of the UN Security Council prior to the Tehran agreement.
I would like to clarify an issue here. The UN Security Council took a decision on Wednesday. We have supported the idea of solving the Iranian issue by diplomacy since the beginning and, as such, voted against sanctions at the Security Council on Wednesday, Erdogan said.
I will make a statement regarding the issue. We consulted with all permanent members of the UN Security Council prior to the Tehran agreement. I will not go into details. There is no need for that, Erdogan said.
Our goal is to resolve everything on the table. You can not go any where with weapons, embargoes and by alienating. The world has witnessed many examples and paid very heavy prices in the past. We are still paying a price in Iraq and Afghanistan. Millions of people have been killed, aged from 7 to 70. There are hundreds of thousands of widows in Iraq. Who is responsible for this figure? We have to answer this. Who is responsible for the orphans? We have to answer this as well. Will we be silent in the face of these? Those who have caused the status quo in the region will be judged by history. We have been in constant expectations in Palestine for long years. Is there peace in Palestine? No. Is there a solution in Palestine? No. Is this issue not possible to be solved? I do not think it is impossible to solve this issue. The interests of certain groups are being defended there, Erdogan said.
Erdogan said that they had gone to Tehran to make diplomacy and peace succeed.
We believe that the signatures in Tehran were a victory of diplomacy, Erdogan said.
An agreement in Tehran was reached. My Foreign Minister and I immediately briefed the relevant countries on the agreement. As we talked to various leaders, they all expressed that the agreement was a victory for diplomacy and they congratulated us, Erdogan said.
The permanent members of the UN Security Council also made identical comments. What did they say yesterday? No. Why no, why sanctions and why the hurry? They could have acted accordingly if Iran did not keep its promise. Yet Iran kept its promise and sent a letter. Just when a process was about to begin, they acted to cut the process by adopting sanctions. They also said that they were open to negotiations. As Turkey, we will work with Brazil and Iran to continue the negotiations. We will make efforts so that the Tehran agreement stays on the table. The world must be managed by diplomacy. Therefore, I say diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy. We have to succeed by diplomacy. Our signature on Wednesday showed that we are behind the Tehran agreement. We put our signature by talking with Brazil. Lebanon had to abstain and that is what they did. We will succeed through diplomacy. We do not want to be part of a wrong, Erdogan said.
Erdogan said that peace and stability could not be restored in the region when Gaza was under blockade.
"Arabic countries should take more initiatives for solution of the problem through peaceful means," Erdogan said.
Erdogan said billions of dollars, which had to be spent for employment, production and poor people, were spent to armament because of unreal problems. "We face severe criticisms as we voice the problems and we say peace, stability and welfare. We face criticisms as we raise our voice for injustice and oppose to every kind of terrorism and state terrorism," he said.
Erdogan said, "Shall we remain silent against attacks on ships, which set out from Turkey, carrying activists of 32 different countries, and which were only loaded with relief materials. Shall I close my eyes against massacre of my 9 citizens in the international waters with terrorism and injury and maltreatment of 24 people from different countries. I visited all those injured one by one and saw their situation. Some of those injured are still under treatment in intensive care unit. Shall we remain silent against inhumane practices in Palestine? Won't this be approving state terrorism? Won't this be tolerance to unlawful acts?"
Erdogan said international community and international organizations condoned such kind of inhumane practices and encouraged them secretly, "this process can not continue so and should not. Peace and stability can not be restored when Gaza is under blockade. My government will never make concession from the principles we believe whatever they say to us," he said.
Erdogan said he expected Arabic countries to take more initiatives for the solution of the problem through peaceful means and noted that no country could restore peace and stability as a whole when Palestinian-Israel problem stayed there.
"We should boost alliances and exert more efforts in the name of peace. Neither me nor the government is after getting a role in the region. We believe that the sufferings,tragedies, unlawful acts and piracy give serious damages to all the countries in the region and the region itself," Erdogan said.
Prime Minister Erdogan said those alleging that Turkey broke away from the West are part of an ill-intentioned propaganda.
Turkey and the Arab world have stayed far from each other for a century due to such ill-intentioned propaganda, Erdogan stressed.
Erdogan said that, thanks to multi-dimensional foreign policies pursued, Turkey's exports reached 132 billion USD at the end of 2008 from 36 billion USD in 2002.
Direct international investments in Turkey reached 22 billion USD in 2007. Those who talk about a shift in Turkey's axis of foreign policy are those who do not see the developments. Those alleging that Turkey has broke away from the West are part of an ill-intentioned propaganda. For a century, Turkey and the Arab world have been far from each other due to such ill-intentioned propaganda. France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and the United States all make investments in the Arab world and vice versa. Yet, when it comes to Turkey's investments in the Arab world and this world's investments in Turkey, certain dirty hands try to hurt the process by a dirty propaganda, Erdogan said.
COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY & SYRIA AS A SAMPLE
Turkey and Syria almost went to a war 10 years ago. In 2002, we became the government in Turkey. I have told my brother al-Asad to discuss our problems and we noticed that there were no problems without solutions, Erdogan said.
Currently, mines are being swept between Turkey and Syria. There are train trips taking place between Turkey and Syria and the two countries are displaying a sample relationship in all fields, Erdogan said.
The citizens of Turkey and Syria can visit each other by displaying their passports. A Syrian who visited Turkey recently told an American newspaper that he did not notice any difference between the peoples of Turkey and Syria, Erdogan said.
Reminding that Turkey signed agreements for liberalization of visas with Lebanon, Jordan and Libya, Erdogan said that artificial obstacles between certain countries were being ended and relations placed at where they should be.
No country can benefit from enmity. No people can benefit from hatred and feelings of revenge, Erdogan said.
ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH THE ARABIC WORLD
Erdogan said, "we expect a very big leap in economic relations with the Arabic world together with political relations that develop in the recent years."
Erdogan said Turkey amounted its trade volume which was 7 billion USD in 2002 to 37 billion USD in 2008 and managed to keep trade volume in 29 billion USD in 2009 despite the global crisis.
"Today more than 2000 Arabic origin companies invest in Turkey and contribute to the the economy of Turkey and their own countries," Erdogan said adding that 6.2 billion USD direct investment capital entered to Turkey from Arabic countries between the years 2002-2009.
Erdogan said similarly many Turkish contractor companies achieved successful construction projects in Arabic countries and fostered relations. He said number of tourists coming to Turkey from Arabic countries has risen to 1.4 million in 2009. This figure was 400,000 in 2002.
Referring to Turkish serials shown in Arabic world, Erdogan said a TRT channel broadcasting in Arabic, was also watched with admiration.
"Everybody who will invest in Turkey should know that all the doors are open to them," Erdogan said and noted that Turkey offered extremely profitable opportunities for Arabic countries with its rapidly growing economy.
Erdogan said Turkey caught a magnific growth rate in the past 7.5 years and ranked the 17th biggest economy of the world and the 6th biggest economy of Europe. He said Turkey was one of the countries weathering global financial crisis most quickly.
Erdogan said Turkey was expected to be the most rapidly growing economy of Europe in 2010 with its 6-7 percent growth rate and added, "we target to make Turkey one of the biggest economies of the world in 2023. According to the estimations of OECD, Turkey would be the most rapidly growing economy among OECD countries in 2011-2017 with 6.7 percent rate. I request you to intensify investments to Turkey. Turkey Investment Support and Promotion Agency will carry out all bureaucratic proceedings in Turkey on behalf of you. The agency works more intensively in Gulf countries to assist investors coming from Arabic countries."