Turkey and the Middle East 1

TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Remarks

by

Ambassador Emeritus Murat N. Ersavcı

Hasselt University

Feb. 28,2012

TURKEY - THE MIDDLE EAST and NORTH AFRICA

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FOUR PRINCIPLES

• Security for all. If we need security, others need it as well.

• Resolve all disputes through political dialogue and interaction We must keep our channels open with everybody.

• Economic interdependence Needed to achieve and ensure a sustainable peace.

• Cultural harmony and mutual respect : crucial to pre-empt deepening of cultural and religious fault-lines on a global scale.

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GENERAL STRATEGY

End disputes and increase stability in the region

Resolve conflicts whenever possible.Seek innovative mechanisms and channels to

encouraging positive change.Build cross-cultural bridges of dialogue and

understanding.

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IMPLEMENTATION VEHICLES

• Economic integration High Level Strategic Cooperation Councils Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan Egypt

• Free Trade and Visa Exemption Agreements Regional goal: a zone for free movement of goods and persons between Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

• Quadripartite High Level Cooperation Council

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OTHER MECHANISMS

• Turkish-Arab Forum (with the Arab League in 2007.)

• High Level Strategic Dialogue with the Gulf Cooperation Council in September 2008

• Goal : to advance cooperation and hold regular consultations on the multilateral level.

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TURKEY AND THE PALESTINIANS

Palestinian State: an Immediate necessity. • An independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State

with East Jerusalem as its capital living in peace and security with the State of Israel.

• Turkey welcomes Palestine’s full membership of UNESCO. A message to the UN Security Council.

• We welcome and support the Quartet’s efforts for the resumption of the negotiations between the two parties.

• Meaningful negotiations can take place only on an equal footing. Israelis have enjoyed statehood since 1948.

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TURKISH ISRAELI RELATIONS

• Strong ties of Jewish-Turkish friendship across the centuries.

• Wrecked on 31 May 2010 by the killing of eight Turks and one Turkish American on a humanitarian mission.

• Turkey expects an apology and compensation.• If it receives these, relations will be

normalised. Without them, they cannot be.

Turkey and the Middle East

Turkey and Egypt Full solidarity with the people of Egypt on

their journey to democracy. Swift and orderly transition needed. Important for the region.

Prime Minister Erdoğan’s visit to Libya September 2011