President Erdoğan: UN Security Council put ’biggest health crisis in history’ on its agenda 100 days after it erupted
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke during his opening speech at the three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in southern Turkey.
Stating that Antalya, which has been a cradle of civilizations and guided the history of humanity throughout history, is one of the most beautiful cities of the Mediterranean, the intersection of continents, President Erdoğan said: “Our Antalya, in which people of every origin and belief have co-existed for ages, has also been at the center of diplomacy. I believe that Antalya Diplomacy Forum will inshallah turn in time into a platform where the heart of global diplomacy beats. The friendship, dialogue and cooperation messages we will give from here will be spreading in waves to the entire world as well as our region.
“THIS IS AN ERA OF USING MORE RATHER THAN EXCLUDING THE DELICACIES OF DIPLOMACY”
Underscoring that today, non-governmental organizations, business world, media and universities as well as politicians and diplomats shape foreign policies, President Erdoğan noted: “Today, as hot conflicts continue for years, our need for new avenues, groundworks of which are laid by the art of diplomacy, grows bigger as well. This is an era of using more rather than excluding the delicacies of diplomacy in finding peaceful solutions to problems. As we always say, you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. And the most effective way to unclench these fists is still diplomacy.”
“WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT A VISIONARY DIPLOMACY PRACTICE WHICH ACCURATELY ANALYZES THE CHANGE IN THE WORLD PREVAILS”
“We need to make sure that a visionary diplomacy practice -- which accurately analyzes the change in the world, produces solutions for future generations and carries to the future the knowledge coming from the past by remolding it – prevails,” President Erdoğan stated, adding that the magnitude of the threats countries face calls for international solidarity and cooperation.
Noting that the coronavirus pandemic has made everyone feel this need once again, President Erdoğan went on to say: “The international community unfortunately couldn’t perform well in managing the destructive effects of the pandemic despite all the means in its possession. The United Nations Security Council was only able to put on its agenda the gravest health crisis of the history after 100 days. While sharing is the only way to ease the burden of billions of people, our African brothers and sisters, our Asian and Latin American friends were left to their own fates. We see that the pandemic has sharpened the injustices and further deepened the gap between the rich and the poor.”
“THE TURKISH DIPLOMACY DRAWS ITS STRENGTH FROM ITS CAPABILITY OF KEEPING UP WITH THE CHANGING CONDITIONS”
President Erdoğan said: “Inspired by Hazrat Mawlana, we have determined the theme of the Forum as ‘Innovative Diplomacy: New Era, New Approaches’. While the world is rapidly changing, we must accordingly adjust our diplomacy and view on international relations. Behind our ‘Enterprising and Humanitarian Foreign Policy’ lies the need for this modernization and transformation. The Turkish diplomacy, whose knowledge and experience dates back centuries, draws its strength from its capability of keeping up with the changing conditions.”
“WE HAVE YET TO RECEIVE THE SUPPORT WE EXPECT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY”
Further stressing that while Turkey has nearly for a decade been hosting almost 4 million Syrians, it also extends a helping hand to more than 5 million oppressed people beyond its borders, President Erdoğan noted that Turkey has been the only country which has fought against such terrorist organizations as PKK, PYD, YPG and DAESH on the ground in Syria, neutralizing 4,500 DAESH members so far.
“Turkey has thus far ensured the safe and voluntary return of 430 thousand Syrians to their lands,” President Erdoğan said, and noted that Turkey extends a helping hand to the displaced people in Idlib, too, with its briquette houses projects, although it has yet to receive the support it expects from the international community both in the fight against terrorist organizations and the efforts to ensure stability in Syria.
“WE WANT THE MEDITERRANEAN TO BE A REGION OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY”
Drawing attention to the burden caused by deadlocks, President Erdoğan said: “We support the two-state solution based on equal sovereignty put forward in Geneva by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We want the Mediterranean to be a region of peace, prosperity and cooperation. Our proposal to convene an East Mediterranean Conference with the participation of all the stakeholders is still valid. It is up to us to determine whether the energy resources in the East Mediterranean will lead to confrontation or cooperation. We are pleased with the momentum we have recently achieved with our neighbor Greece. We also want to strengthen our cooperation with our ally the US and the EU through a positive agenda.”
“TURKEY IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE FIGHT AGAINST ISLAMOPHOBIA AND XENOPHOBIA”
Stressing that Turkey is at the forefront of the fight against Islamophobia, xenophobia and cultural racism, which have reached alarming levels with the pandemic, President Erdoğan said: “While broadening the horizon of the Turkish diplomacy with the Asia Anew Initiative, we also further enhance our cooperation with Africa in every area, with which we enjoy ancient ties. Within this scope, we have organized two Turkey-Africa Partnership Summits, the first one in Istanbul in 2008 and the second in Malabo in 2014. During my terms in office as Prime Minister and President, I have visited 28 African countries, some of them more than once. Accompanied by my wife, I became the first world leader to visit Somalia exactly 10 years ago in 2011 amid the worst state crisis of its history.”
