Speech by H.E. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey, At the Opening Session of Informal Meeting of NATO Defence Ministers non-NATO ISAF Contributing Nations
05.02.2010
Mr. Secretary General,
Honorable Ministers,
Distinguished Participants,
Welcome to Istanbul. I greet you with sincere feelings and wish you success at your deliberations.
We are pleased to host once again a high level NATO meeting following the Istanbul Summit of 2004.
I attach a special importance to this session held with the participation of Defence Ministers of the non-NATO ISAF contributing countries.
Above all, the timing of this gathering is specially meaningful.
I hosted two significant Summits in Istanbul during the last week of January.
The Fourth Meeting of Turkey-Afghanistan-Pakistan Summit Process took place in Istanbul on 25 January.
At this trilateral Summit, we paid special attention to the establishment of an atmosphere where all relevant institutions with the participation of general staffs and intelligence services can work together. We also stressed the importance of institutionalization of the process.
Education has been another area of cooperation that we put special emphasis during the fourth Trilateral Summit.
In this framework, we reviewed the results of the conference held in Ankara by the participation of the Ministries of Education and stressed the importance attached to human capital.
Right after the trilateral Summit, on 26 January, we hosted the Istanbul Summit on Friendship and Cooperation in the "Heart of Asia" with the participation of Afghanistan, its neighbors and observer countries and institutions.
These meetings were followed by the London Conference.
I believe that all these high level gatherings have a complementary character and a clear indication of our will in offering a better future for our Afghan brothers.
Distinguished participants,
NATO's presence in Afghanistan through the ISAF operation as well as the NATO Training Mission (NTM-A) that became operational after our decision adopted during the last year's Summit of the 60th anniversary of the Alliance, is definitely of great importance.
We have to sustain our combat in Afghanistan against terrorism, extremism, trafficking in weapons and human-beings as well as organised crime in cooperation with the international community.
In this effort, I believe that our most important task and priority is to provide training and equipment for the Afghan forces, whose courage and sacrifice have been time and again tested in the history. In that way, they will be able to attain the highest level possible whereby they will be able to provide security in their own homeland.
To the extent that we succeed in this effort,
• A huge step in gaining victory over the ongoing combat would be taken,
• The redeployment of foreign forces who would one day leave Afghanistan would be facilitated,
• And by that time, Afghanistan would be rendered a country with a solid security structure, in peace, comfort and stability.
This collective responsibility we have assumed with extreme devotion in order to offer a better future to the friendly and brotherly Afghan nation has definitely an indispensable character.
However, we should sincerely accept a fact of life: We cannot resolve the current problems in Afghanistan only through military means. Eventually, foreign military forces will one day leave. On that day, they should leave behind not a country in disarray, but one that is able to stand on its own feet.
We should never forget that Afghanistan belongs to the Afghans themselves. We should make sure that this fact is felt by the Afghans every single day.
For, ISAF and NATO have not gone to Afghanistan to change the identity, cultural values and traditions of the Afghan people.
If this fact is well perceived and understood, it would be much easier to isolate terror and win the combat.
Afghanistan's success is essential not just for Afghanistan, but also peace, stability and prosperity of the region.
For the Afghanistan's success, we have to;
• strengthen the regional ownership,
• encourage the countries in the region towards further cooperation,
• win the hearts and minds of Afghan people,
• and thus create a positive synergy at the regional level.
With this understanding, I believe that our most important collective responsibility is,
• to give necessary financial support to Afghanistan,
• to provide better education for future Afghan generations,
• to strongly assist the development efforts of our Afghan brothers.
Distinguished participants,
Currently, there are approximately 85 thousand forces from more than 40 countries within ISAF. These figures are expected to rise in the near future.
Turkey also contributes to the security of Afghanistan with 1755 forces.
However, as I have expressed before, we cannot resolve the problems of Afghanistan through military means alone.
Because, if we tought that way, we would have considered Afghanistan simply as a "map" in which military units of different countries are deployed. Whereas Afghanistan is the heart of Asia with its rich history, cultural heritage of thousand years, geostrategic location and economic potential. Afghanistan means literature, fine arts and music. It means Mahmud of Ghazni, Ali-Shir Nava'i and Celaleddin-I Rumi. All these historic figures are tribute by Afghanistan to universal culture.
Distinguished Participants,
I believe there are some other facts that we have to carefully bear in mind other than the number of troops deployed in Afghanistan.
Afganistan is a great country, spreading on 650 thousand square-kilometres, with a population of around 30 million people. Almost half of its population is below the age of 14.
This means that around 15 million girls and boys in Afghanistan are not only expecting more security, but also more education, more health care, and more opportunities for employment from the international community.
In order to prepare the future of these 15 million children, we must provide education.
We must provide better roads for these children to reach their schools from their houses.
We have to make them understand the today's world and its concepts in order to better construct Afghanistan's future.
With this thought in mind, Turkey for a longtime has been attaching great importance to efforts focused on education. Approximately 65 thousand Afghan children and youngsters are educated in schools either constructed or restored by Turkey.
High schools for girls that we have inaugurated with due care have given and continues to give education to thousands of students.
It should be kept in mind that we are undertaking all our efforts in order to be able to reach our days by leaving behind an environment where girls once could have difficulties in even walking outdoors.
These young female students will play significant roles in the education of their families as mothers, academicians and high-level executives of the future.
Distinguished participants,
Of course we can increase the number of such examples.
If more than 40 countries are deploying their troops in Afghanistan, they can equally invest in higher number of schools, new hospitals and better roads.
Thus, we would then not only provide for the security of the Afghan people, but equally win the hearts and minds of each of our Afghan brothers and sisters.
Turkey will continue to support Afghanistan.
We will not abandon our Afghan brothers.
With these considerations, I convey my thanks and appreciation to the all member countries of NATO and ISAF family due to their valuable contributions and sacrifices. I also wish eminent success during the working session in Istanbul.
Thank you.
Honorable Ministers,
Distinguished Participants,
Welcome to Istanbul. I greet you with sincere feelings and wish you success at your deliberations.
We are pleased to host once again a high level NATO meeting following the Istanbul Summit of 2004.
I attach a special importance to this session held with the participation of Defence Ministers of the non-NATO ISAF contributing countries.
Above all, the timing of this gathering is specially meaningful.
I hosted two significant Summits in Istanbul during the last week of January.
The Fourth Meeting of Turkey-Afghanistan-Pakistan Summit Process took place in Istanbul on 25 January.
At this trilateral Summit, we paid special attention to the establishment of an atmosphere where all relevant institutions with the participation of general staffs and intelligence services can work together. We also stressed the importance of institutionalization of the process.
Education has been another area of cooperation that we put special emphasis during the fourth Trilateral Summit.
In this framework, we reviewed the results of the conference held in Ankara by the participation of the Ministries of Education and stressed the importance attached to human capital.
Right after the trilateral Summit, on 26 January, we hosted the Istanbul Summit on Friendship and Cooperation in the "Heart of Asia" with the participation of Afghanistan, its neighbors and observer countries and institutions.
These meetings were followed by the London Conference.
I believe that all these high level gatherings have a complementary character and a clear indication of our will in offering a better future for our Afghan brothers.
Distinguished participants,
NATO's presence in Afghanistan through the ISAF operation as well as the NATO Training Mission (NTM-A) that became operational after our decision adopted during the last year's Summit of the 60th anniversary of the Alliance, is definitely of great importance.
We have to sustain our combat in Afghanistan against terrorism, extremism, trafficking in weapons and human-beings as well as organised crime in cooperation with the international community.
In this effort, I believe that our most important task and priority is to provide training and equipment for the Afghan forces, whose courage and sacrifice have been time and again tested in the history. In that way, they will be able to attain the highest level possible whereby they will be able to provide security in their own homeland.
To the extent that we succeed in this effort,
• A huge step in gaining victory over the ongoing combat would be taken,
• The redeployment of foreign forces who would one day leave Afghanistan would be facilitated,
• And by that time, Afghanistan would be rendered a country with a solid security structure, in peace, comfort and stability.
This collective responsibility we have assumed with extreme devotion in order to offer a better future to the friendly and brotherly Afghan nation has definitely an indispensable character.
However, we should sincerely accept a fact of life: We cannot resolve the current problems in Afghanistan only through military means. Eventually, foreign military forces will one day leave. On that day, they should leave behind not a country in disarray, but one that is able to stand on its own feet.
We should never forget that Afghanistan belongs to the Afghans themselves. We should make sure that this fact is felt by the Afghans every single day.
For, ISAF and NATO have not gone to Afghanistan to change the identity, cultural values and traditions of the Afghan people.
If this fact is well perceived and understood, it would be much easier to isolate terror and win the combat.
Afghanistan's success is essential not just for Afghanistan, but also peace, stability and prosperity of the region.
For the Afghanistan's success, we have to;
• strengthen the regional ownership,
• encourage the countries in the region towards further cooperation,
• win the hearts and minds of Afghan people,
• and thus create a positive synergy at the regional level.
With this understanding, I believe that our most important collective responsibility is,
• to give necessary financial support to Afghanistan,
• to provide better education for future Afghan generations,
• to strongly assist the development efforts of our Afghan brothers.
Distinguished participants,
Currently, there are approximately 85 thousand forces from more than 40 countries within ISAF. These figures are expected to rise in the near future.
Turkey also contributes to the security of Afghanistan with 1755 forces.
However, as I have expressed before, we cannot resolve the problems of Afghanistan through military means alone.
Because, if we tought that way, we would have considered Afghanistan simply as a "map" in which military units of different countries are deployed. Whereas Afghanistan is the heart of Asia with its rich history, cultural heritage of thousand years, geostrategic location and economic potential. Afghanistan means literature, fine arts and music. It means Mahmud of Ghazni, Ali-Shir Nava'i and Celaleddin-I Rumi. All these historic figures are tribute by Afghanistan to universal culture.
Distinguished Participants,
I believe there are some other facts that we have to carefully bear in mind other than the number of troops deployed in Afghanistan.
Afganistan is a great country, spreading on 650 thousand square-kilometres, with a population of around 30 million people. Almost half of its population is below the age of 14.
This means that around 15 million girls and boys in Afghanistan are not only expecting more security, but also more education, more health care, and more opportunities for employment from the international community.
In order to prepare the future of these 15 million children, we must provide education.
We must provide better roads for these children to reach their schools from their houses.
We have to make them understand the today's world and its concepts in order to better construct Afghanistan's future.
With this thought in mind, Turkey for a longtime has been attaching great importance to efforts focused on education. Approximately 65 thousand Afghan children and youngsters are educated in schools either constructed or restored by Turkey.
High schools for girls that we have inaugurated with due care have given and continues to give education to thousands of students.
It should be kept in mind that we are undertaking all our efforts in order to be able to reach our days by leaving behind an environment where girls once could have difficulties in even walking outdoors.
These young female students will play significant roles in the education of their families as mothers, academicians and high-level executives of the future.
Distinguished participants,
Of course we can increase the number of such examples.
If more than 40 countries are deploying their troops in Afghanistan, they can equally invest in higher number of schools, new hospitals and better roads.
Thus, we would then not only provide for the security of the Afghan people, but equally win the hearts and minds of each of our Afghan brothers and sisters.
Turkey will continue to support Afghanistan.
We will not abandon our Afghan brothers.
With these considerations, I convey my thanks and appreciation to the all member countries of NATO and ISAF family due to their valuable contributions and sacrifices. I also wish eminent success during the working session in Istanbul.
Thank you.
