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DAVUTOGLU SAYS 21ST CENTURY WILL BE THE CENTURY OF TURKIC-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-266942-davutoglu-says-21st-century-will-be-the-century-of-turkic-speaking-countries.html
Dec 27 2011
Turkey
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday in Ankara the 21st
century will be the century of Turkic-speaking countries as Turkey
signed an agreement with the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking
States to be the council's host country during the fourth-annual
Ambassadors Conference.
Davutoglu said the council, which was formed in 2010, has aimed to
boost economic and diplomatic cooperation between Turkic states and
will be enlarged by the inclusion of other Turkic states. It currently
has only four members: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey,
the largest member.
The council's main objectives are to boost economic cooperation between
member states, improve mutual cooperation in culture and tourism and
preserve the cultural and historic assets of the Turkic world.
Davutoglu pointed out that the Turkic states [in Central Asia] are
now self-reliant and have made remarkable progress in economic and
political fields in the 20 years following their independence after
the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
"I hope the 21st century will be the century of Turkic-speaking
countries," Davutoglu said.
The council's secretary, General Halil Akıncı, said the agreement
[forming the council], which was signed in October 2009, envisaged
that the Council's headquarters would be located in Istanbul, and the
Council's secretariat general would begin operating in November 2010.
"With the we signed today, the legal infrastructure is completed
regarding the status and operations of the secretariat general,"
noted Akıncı.
İstanbul appears to be a new global center Noting that the
headquarters of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States would
be located in Istanbul under the agreement, Davutoglu said they want
to make İstanbul the center of international organizations. Turkey
wants to cast İstanbul as a global diplomatic center, a UN city,
the minister noted.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement
with the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality for close cooperation
as İstanbul appears to be a new center of economic and diplomatic
relations in the global scene.
İstanbul will be a financial center, positioning it as the main
station for the global economic network and transportation routes,
Davutoglu said. Another major goal is to make İstanbul a center of
cultural and intellectual activity as the city has had an astonishing
history, he added.
By signing the agreement for close cooperation with the municipality,
he noted that the ministry aims to bulk up its presence with various
diplomatic activities in the city. He said municipality officials
will receive diplomatic training as millions of tourists annually
visit the historic city, which also hosts hundreds of international
conferences on diplomatic or economic affairs.
In return, diplomats will take courses on city culture and the history
of İstanbul from historians who work as experts and advisors at
the municipality.
Speaking at the fourth-annual Ambassadors Conference, Deputy Prime
Minister Ali Babacan strenuously dismissed the populist criticism
of the EU in Turkey by saying that the EU criteria on the political
system, institutions and judicial system is still significant although
relations sometimes deteriorated due to political disputes in some
areas.
Making a presentation to ambassadors titled "The Economic Crisis
in the EU, Its Possible Political Implications and Turkey," he said
the EU accession process would not be taken hostage by populism in
Turkey, pointing to the significance of the union for consolidation
of democracy in the country.
According to Babacan, the recent legislation in France which makes
the denial of an alleged Armenian genocide a crime punishable by a
one-year prison sentence and a fine of 45,000 euros was a fatal blow
to freedom of expression, which is seen as one of the fundamental
principles of the EU.
On the other hand, opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Adana
deputy and former ambassador Faruk Logoglu vehemently criticized the
government for manipulating the Ambassadors Conference for political
purposes and to the vision of Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Serbian foreign minister urges cooperation in Balkans Upon Davutoglu's
invitation, Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuc Jeremic addressed the
Turkish ambassadors at home and abroad at the fourth edition of
the Ambassadors Conference on Sunday. He said Serbia was ready to
cooperate with Turkey to work for peace and stability in the Balkans,
expressing a willingness to extend support for the settlement of the
region's problems.
Jeremic discussed the Arab Spring and popular uprisings in the region
as well as relations with regional bodies in Sunday's session, which
was closed to the news media, diplomatic sources said.
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-266942-davutoglu-says-21st-century-will-be-the-century-of-turkic-speaking-countries.html
Dec 27 2011
Turkey
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday in Ankara the 21st
century will be the century of Turkic-speaking countries as Turkey
signed an agreement with the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking
States to be the council's host country during the fourth-annual
Ambassadors Conference.
Davutoglu said the council, which was formed in 2010, has aimed to
boost economic and diplomatic cooperation between Turkic states and
will be enlarged by the inclusion of other Turkic states. It currently
has only four members: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey,
the largest member.
The council's main objectives are to boost economic cooperation between
member states, improve mutual cooperation in culture and tourism and
preserve the cultural and historic assets of the Turkic world.
Davutoglu pointed out that the Turkic states [in Central Asia] are
now self-reliant and have made remarkable progress in economic and
political fields in the 20 years following their independence after
the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
"I hope the 21st century will be the century of Turkic-speaking
countries," Davutoglu said.
The council's secretary, General Halil Akıncı, said the agreement
[forming the council], which was signed in October 2009, envisaged
that the Council's headquarters would be located in Istanbul, and the
Council's secretariat general would begin operating in November 2010.
"With the we signed today, the legal infrastructure is completed
regarding the status and operations of the secretariat general,"
noted Akıncı.
İstanbul appears to be a new global center Noting that the
headquarters of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States would
be located in Istanbul under the agreement, Davutoglu said they want
to make İstanbul the center of international organizations. Turkey
wants to cast İstanbul as a global diplomatic center, a UN city,
the minister noted.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement
with the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality for close cooperation
as İstanbul appears to be a new center of economic and diplomatic
relations in the global scene.
İstanbul will be a financial center, positioning it as the main
station for the global economic network and transportation routes,
Davutoglu said. Another major goal is to make İstanbul a center of
cultural and intellectual activity as the city has had an astonishing
history, he added.
By signing the agreement for close cooperation with the municipality,
he noted that the ministry aims to bulk up its presence with various
diplomatic activities in the city. He said municipality officials
will receive diplomatic training as millions of tourists annually
visit the historic city, which also hosts hundreds of international
conferences on diplomatic or economic affairs.
In return, diplomats will take courses on city culture and the history
of İstanbul from historians who work as experts and advisors at
the municipality.
Speaking at the fourth-annual Ambassadors Conference, Deputy Prime
Minister Ali Babacan strenuously dismissed the populist criticism
of the EU in Turkey by saying that the EU criteria on the political
system, institutions and judicial system is still significant although
relations sometimes deteriorated due to political disputes in some
areas.
Making a presentation to ambassadors titled "The Economic Crisis
in the EU, Its Possible Political Implications and Turkey," he said
the EU accession process would not be taken hostage by populism in
Turkey, pointing to the significance of the union for consolidation
of democracy in the country.
According to Babacan, the recent legislation in France which makes
the denial of an alleged Armenian genocide a crime punishable by a
one-year prison sentence and a fine of 45,000 euros was a fatal blow
to freedom of expression, which is seen as one of the fundamental
principles of the EU.
On the other hand, opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Adana
deputy and former ambassador Faruk Logoglu vehemently criticized the
government for manipulating the Ambassadors Conference for political
purposes and to the vision of Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Serbian foreign minister urges cooperation in Balkans Upon Davutoglu's
invitation, Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuc Jeremic addressed the
Turkish ambassadors at home and abroad at the fourth edition of
the Ambassadors Conference on Sunday. He said Serbia was ready to
cooperate with Turkey to work for peace and stability in the Balkans,
expressing a willingness to extend support for the settlement of the
region's problems.
Jeremic discussed the Arab Spring and popular uprisings in the region
as well as relations with regional bodies in Sunday's session, which
was closed to the news media, diplomatic sources said.