Gül: We Expect the EU to Abide by the Pacta Sunt Servanda Principle

During the joint press conference he held along with President Sarkozy of France, President Gül averred: “Our expectation from the EU is that as part of the principle of the pacta sunt servanda, it must keep the promises it has given to us and that it must furnish an occasion for us to culminate the negotiations process with success.” 

President Abdullah Gül welcomed the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, arriving in Turkey to pay a working visit, with a ceremony at the Çankaya Presidential Palace. The two presidents, after proceeding to hold a bilateral talk, attended the working luncheon. After the luncheon, the President said they had conducted fruitful bilateral and delegational talks.

President Gül, mentioning the 500-year history between the two countries, declared that Turkey cares deeply about its relations with France, underlining its resoluteness to develop and keep these relations strong.

A COUNTRY OF BOTH EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

The President further informed the press, saying: “Mr. Sarkozy has paid this visit as the term chairman of the G-20. I shared my thought with him that we expect him to visit Turkey as President of France as well because no French President has done so since 1992. He, in return, evinced his wish to visit our country in this regard.” Turkey and France, he continued, are two countries of both Europe and the Mediterranean, sharing a number of common interests.

“WE EXPECT THAT NO HINDRANCE SHOULD BE LAID IN OUR WAY DURING OUR NEGOTIATION PROCESS”

Turkish-French relations date back to the alliance between Francis I and Sultan Süleyman the Magnificient and it will continue like this in the future, President Gül proclaimed. “Our bilateral trade volume has reached 12 million Euros. We are sure of the fact that our potential is much greater than this. There are some 2,000 French companies conducting business in Turkey. We believe we can boost our economic relations. We lend our support for the G-20 Summit to be held in Cannes, considering such issues as getting the world economic order back on track. As you know, Turkey launched its negotiation process to be a full member of the EU in 2004. 

Turkey has a state strategy in this regard. Our expectation from the EU is that as part of the principle of the pacta sunt servanda, it must keep the promises it has given to us and it must furnish an occasion for us to culminate the negotiations process with success. Some countries like France and Austria have already decided to hold referenda after this negotiation process ends. We will respect the outcome no matter what the results of these referenda may be. On the other hand, we expect the EU to help this process proceed in a healthily fashion, of which I have shared with Mr. Sarkozy and which is the expectation of the Turkish nation as well.”

Informing the press members that they had also tackled the recent events in the Middle East, President Gül reiterated Turkey’s wish that the region be provided with peace, that democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedoms dominate the region and that this transition process for change end without entailing chaos.

As for President Sarkozy, he expressed his pleasure to be the first French President to visit to Turkey in 19 years. He also noted that he decided to pay this visit to Turkey as he is aware of Turkey’s role in the international arena and the importance of Turkey’s support for France during the latter’s term chairmanship of the G-20. President Sarkozy further promised to pay an official state visit to Turkey, responding to President Gül’s invitation.

STUDY SEMINAR IN TURKEY

The French President later revealed his hope that a study seminar on the regulation of the raw material prices could be held under the co-chair of Turkey and France in April in Turkey. He further advanced France’s full support for Turkey in the latter’s fight against terrorism.

SARKOZY: “WE WILL KEEP TEAMING UP WITH EACH OTHER”

They have one issue on which both Turkey and France do not agree, the French President noted. “We have discussed this very issue as statesmen as well and tried to understand each other’s bottom lines to find a path for the future. We agreed there should be an appropriate way, lest any hindrance is laid in front of the Turkish nation and lead to the destabilization of Europe. We can have different viewpoints; on the other hand, we have close and amicable relations. We will keep teaming up with each other and searching for ways for the best possible future.”

(Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey)

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“Turkish-Nigerian relations bear strategic importance”

President Gül, during the joint press conference he held with President Jonathan, averred Nigeria to be one of Africa’s linchpins, sharing that there is much to do mutually in terms of the economic relations between Turkey and Nigeria.

President Abdullah Gül along with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan held a joint press conference on the occasion of the Nigerian President’s  visit to Turkey.

FIRST PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO TURKEY FROM NIGERIA IN ELEVEN YEARS

President Gül underlined the fact that this is the first presidential visit to Turkey from Nigeria in 11 years, recalling that he had paid the first presidential visit to Nigeria last July.

Drawing attention to the deep-rooted relations between Turkey and Nigeria, where the former has had an embassy since 1960, when the latter gained her independence. Nigeria, he proclaimed, is a country contributing greatly to the resolution process in many issues in the continent, and stated that it is one of Africa’s key countries, pointing out that this country with its rich natural resources is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The President further underscored the strategic significance of Turkish-Nigerian relations.

ISSUES TWO PRESIDENTS HAVE DISCUSSED

President Gül, briefing the press that they have reviewed the bilateral relations between Turkey and Nigeria in many areas, evinced that they have displayed their will to augment the economic relations between the two countries. Referring to the almost 1 billion dollars in trade volume between Turkey and Nigeria, where there is great potential to conduct huge projects in terms of infrastructure, industry, energy and defense as well as petrol and gas investments, the President also noted that the two countries are enjoying a great period of cooperation in education as well. He further maintained that they have cultivated a good collaborative relationship within the UN, recalling that Nigeria, conducting the current chairmanship of the D-8, is serving at the UN Security Council (UNSC) after Turkey, which he said is in close cooperation in the Islamic Conference as well.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN: WE AIM TO BOLSTER OUR ECONOMIC RELATIONS

President Jonathan of Nigeria revealed his happiness to be visiting Turkey and informed his audience that he has brought a broad delegation of 10 ministers, 5 state governors, MPs and senior officials as well as scores of businessmen. He further declared that they aim to bolster the bilateral economic relations between Turkey and Nigeria, referring to the technological area in particular, offering his thanks to President Gül for Turkey’s support in education.

AGREEMENTS SIGNED

Prior to the press conference, the following agreements were signed between Turkey and Nigeria:

Agreement on the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments; Agreement on the Cooperation in Tourism; Agreement on the Cooperation in Higher Education; Agreement on the Cooperation in Military; Cooperation Protocol.

(Presidency of the Republic of Turkey)

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Gül Addresses PACE: “We should form a common European conscience”

During his address to the PACE, President Gül spoke of the challenges and threats within Europe, underscoring: “To overcome those menaces, we don’t need to create a unified European Army. What we need today is to construct “a unified European Conscience” for a freer, safer and more egalitarian and united Europe.”

President Abdullah Gül addressed the Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The President launched his speech by expressing his deepest condolences to the Russian people in response to the terrorist attack at Moscow’s Domodedova Airport yesterday and strongly condemned all kinds of terrorism. He later extended his heartfelt thanks to the member states for the trust shown to Turkey as they take over the Term Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, recalling that the Turkish Deputy from Antalya, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, is the President of the PACE.

“DIFFERENT GROWTH RATES LEAD TO A NEW DISTRIBUTION OF GLOBAL POWER”

President Gül, asserting that Europe is in a mood of deep pessimism on account of the current global economic crisis which has affected Europe more severely than other regions in the world, noted that for the greater part of the last four hundred years, the West has enjoyed a huge comparative advantage over the rest of the world.

Stating that only ten years ago, the industrial democracies dominated the world economy, contributing around 70 percent of global economic output, President Gül said that today, that share has fallen to just over 50 percent. In another decade from now, he predicted it would fall to around 40 percent. Then, the bulk of global output will be produced in the emerging world, he declared, arguing: “Different growth rates lead to a new distribution of global power. It is obvious that the centre of gravity is shifting towards other parts of the world, particularly towards Asia.”

PAYING TRIBUTE TO DIVERSITIES

The President further warned that if the present trends continue, Europe’s role and influence in economic terms would gradually decline. Nevertheless, he continued, Europe is not just about industrialization, technology or economic power, it is also a cradle of notions such as democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, he declared and further stressed that enlightenment and democratic revolutions were all original European achievements with historical global appeal. Europe, the President reiterated, although ruined by warfare for centuries and having experienced several tragedies in the 20th century, proceeded to produce humanity’s noblest works, proclaiming: “Tolerance, acceptance and mutual respect of diversity have become our shared norms.”

RESPONSIBILITY FALLING UPON EUROPE

Further underlining the fact that membership of such a community entails accepting certain obligations in respect of others and contributing to the development of a fair and cohesive society, President Gül promulgated that Europe represents a way of life based on shared common values and standards with universal relevance, saying: “A divided Europe has led to war and oppression, whereas a Europe without dividing lines based on the shared democratic principles has led to peace and prosperity.”

GUARDING THE COMMON VALUES

The growing pessimism in today’s Europe, the President said, is reshaping its political life, adding that there are growing manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in many societies.

“Over the past few years, our member states have been affected by weakening social ties. Radicalization and increasing gaps between different religious, ethnic and cultural communities have started to harm the social fabric of our nations. These contemporary trends challenge the cohesion of European societies and may even endanger Europe’s democratic acquis. Racism and xenophobia represent a major cause of concern in connection with the current economic crisis. They lead governments and political elites to take a hard line on immigration. Whether Roma or traveler, Muslim or Jew, in general, those who are different experience hostility and social exclusion in many of our societies. There is a rise in electoral support for political parties which portray immigration as the main cause of insecurity, unemployment, crime, poverty and social problems.

These are trends which should concern us all. Those pathologies are weakening Europe and decimating its

soft power in the world. We should work hard to defeat these problems to reassert Europe on the global scene. The Council of Europe has done and continues to do much for promoting peaceful co-existence and mutual respect between peoples of different origin, culture and faith living in Europe. Therefore, the Council of Europe has the duty to address and counter these new challenges. As the guardian of the European Convention on Human Rights, we have the obligation to defend our values which are preconditions for democratic security and stability in Europe.”

“FORTRESS EUROPE IS NOT A RATIONAL CHOICE”

European societies, President Gül forecasted, will eventually become more diverse, referring to the demographic trends. “We have also seen reverse migration among our member states due to differences in economic growth rates. For example, my country, Turkey is now experiencing immigration from Western European countries, whereas it was a source of migration beginning from the 1960s. Therefore, “Fortress Europe” is not a rational choice. It is an illusion. If our societies are becoming more diverse, we have to address the growing political and social consequences of that diversity,” he maintained.

The President also stressed that both migrant communities and host countries should do their utmost to avoid segregation, separation and parallel communities. For harmonious democratic societies, he argued, diversity has to be inclusive, touching upon the fact that European Muslims have perhaps been more affected than others by these tendencies, particularly after the terrorist attacks since September 11 in New York, Madrid, Istanbul and London.

“TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM” 

Drawing attention to the fact that Muslims in Europe are very diverse not only in their geographical origins and cultural heritage, but also in their ways of interpreting and practicing their faith.

The perpetrators of such terrorist crimes have nothing to do with Islam, he promulgated and further stressed that those terrorist organizations are attacking many Muslim targets too, adding that they do not have achievable political objectives, but rather pursue their archaic and illicit utopian ideas. “Islam, like all other religions, teaches tolerance and respect for human beings of all faiths. It is the abuse of faiths for political purposes which leads to intolerance and exclusion.”

Underlining the fact that the European democratic institutions should promote human rights, tolerance, dialogue and social cohesion, President Gül continued as follows: “I have been advocating construction of a new political language for some time both at home and abroad. I believe the nature of the political language determines the outcome. The political language can be either constructive or destructive. With their choice of language, political actors can serve to foster a common understanding or division. Therefore, mainstream politics in Europe has to address these fears in a convincing manner while defending respect for diversity and human rights. We have to make the argument much more forcefully that the continent will not be safe with politicians who claim that Europe is at war with other cultures and religions.

On the contrary, if unchecked, the growing influence of such arguments will make Europe not only less tolerant and democratic, but also a more dangerous place to live in. European values are based not only on our achievements, but also on bitterly learned lessons. Let us not forget that the popular support for explicit anti-Semitism was only 5 % in the late 1920s. With a snowball effect, this poisonous minority paved the way to the Holocaust in the late 1930s. History does repeat itself, if we do not draw lessons from our past mistakes.”

“WE DO NOT NEED TO CREATE A UNIFIED EUROPEAN ARMY TO OVERCOME THESE MENACES”

The challenges from within Europe still exist, the President also pointed out and he evinced that to overcome those menaces, they do not need to create a unified European Army. What we need today, he continued, is to construct “a unified European Conscience” for a freer, safer and more egalitarian and united Europe.

 (Presidency of The Republic of Turkey)

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