Adress By The Presıdent Of The Republıc Of Turkey In The Ceremony Organızed On The Occasıon Of The European Day
09.05.2000
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO ADDRESS YOU AT THE HOME OF ATATÜRK ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SCHUMAN DECLARATION WHICH IS ACCEPTED AS THE STARTING POINT IN CREATING A NEW EUROPE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS YEAR WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 9th MAY EUROPEAN DAY TOGETHER WITH OUR EU MEMBER AND CANDIDATE PARTNERS. A FEW DAYS LATER, WE SHALL BE CELEBRATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF 14 MAY 1950, WHICH IS A TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF TURKISH DEMOCRACY. IT IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT THAT THESE TWO HISTORICAL TURNING POINTS HAPPENED SO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE IDEA OF BUILDING A NEW EUROPE IS A DEMOCRATIC INTEGRATION PROJECT. TURKEY WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVES IN THE IDEA OF CREATING AN INTEGRATED EUROPE THAT SHALL RISE ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AMONGST COUNTRIES SHARING THE SAME DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND IDEALS; IT HAS BEEN SUPPORTING THIS EXCITING PROJECT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. BACK IN 1967 AT THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL MEETING IN BRUSSELS, IN MY CAPACITY AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE TIME I SAID, "FOR TURKEY, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY MEANS A GENUINE SUCCESS OF DEMOCRATIC ORDER". TODAY, THE FACT THAT OUR CONTINENT HAS COME CLOSER THAN EVER TO THE TARGET OF INTEGRATION AROUND THE IDEAL OF DEMOCRACY BURDENS US WITH A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE HISTORY.
IN EUROPE, WE HAVE LEFT BEHIND A MILLENNIUM FULL OF SEVERAL CONFLICTS AND WARS DUE TO POLITICAL, IDEOLOGICAL, RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES. DEMOCRATIC EUROPE PROJECT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL AVAILABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM THAT BEGUN ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE EUROPEAN IDENTITY DEFINED BY EQUALITY, FREEDOM AND FRATERNITY FOR ALL WORKS LIKE A KEY TO PEACE, PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THIS IDENTITY SHOULD IN NO WAY BE BASED ON RELIGION. THE MAIN BASIS OF THIS IDENTITY SHOULD BE COMPOSED OF VALUES LIKE DEMOCRACY, RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW THAT ARE PRODUCTS OF THE PAINFUL HISTORICAL EXPERIENCES OF EUROPE OF WHICH WE ARE A PART. THIS IDENTITY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WITH A JOINT STRUGGLE AGAINST RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION, RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA.
DEFINED BY ISMET INÖNÜ IN 1963 AS " THE BOLDEST PROJECT CREATED BY HUMAN INTELLIGENCE IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY SO FAR", THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS CURRENTLY BECOME A COMMON IDEAL AND A CENTRE OF ATTRACTION FOR ALL THE PEOPLES ON THE CONTINENT. THIS COMMON TARGET OFFERS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO ENRICH THE NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY WITH THE EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY. WE CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS OPPORTUNITY ONLY IF THE EUROPEAN UNION PERCEIVES CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AS THE SOURCE OF ITS RICHNESS.
THE EU HELSINKI SUMMIT DECISION DATED DECEMBER 10, 1999 CONFIRMING TURKEY'S CANDIDACY TO FULL MEMBERSHIP AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, DOES NOT ONLY HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BEING A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF TURKEY-EU RELATIONS BUT ALSO IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE ITSELF. WITH THIS DECISION, THE EU CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED ITS POSITION VIS-A-VIS THOSE WHO PRACTICE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES BASED ON RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES. THIS DECISION DID NOT ONLY MEAN A RED LIGHT TO TENDENCIES IN FAVOUR OF DEFINING THE EU ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS BUT ALSO PUT A MEANINGFUL STOP TO THE LAST MILLENNIUM FULL OF RELIGIOUS, ETHNIC, CULTURAL AND IDEOLOGICAL FRAGMENTATIONS AND CONFLICTS. A NEW ERA HAS STARTED IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE. THIS ERA SHALL BE DIFFERENT THAN THE PREVIOUS. ON THE HORIZON RISES A UNITED EUROPE CONSTRUCTED UPON THE SOLIDARITY OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACIES. THIS NEW EUROPE WHICH WE SHALL BUILD ALL TOGETHER WILL HAVE THE POWER OF "...BRINGING A MORAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD" AS SAID BY JEAN MONET AND IT WILL BE ERECTED ON THE BASIS OF THE NOTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL CITIZENSHIP BLENDING NATIONAL IDENTITY WITH EUROPEAN IDENTITY.
AS I APPROACH THE END OF MY TERM OF OFFICE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, IT IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT FOR ME TO SEE TURKEY LEAVE BEHIND A HISTORICAL TURN ON THE PATH OF FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EU. AS A POLITICIAN WHO HAS ALWAYS ADVOCATED AND STRUGGLED FOR DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND THE IDEA THAT THERE CANNOT BE A TURKEY WITHOUT EUROPE OR A EUROPE WITHOUT TURKEY, AND AS A POLITICIAN WHO HAS ALWAYS UNDERTAKEN WITH EXCITEMENT, ENTHUSIASM AND COMMITMENT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STEPS TO ENSURE TURKEY'S RIGHTFUL POSITION IN THE INTEGRATION OF EUROPE, I AM MUCH MORE HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC OF THE FUTURE. IN THIS RESPECT, I PARTICULARLY WOULD LIKE TO UNDERLINE THE FACT THAT TURKEY'S ACCESSION TO THE EU HAS TAKEN OFF ON A ROAD WITH NO POSSIBLE RETURN. I PERCEIVE QUESTIONING BY CERTAIN GROUPS WHETHER TURKEY REALLY BELONGS TO EUROPE AS THE REFLECTION OF AN UNHEALTHY STATE OF MIND THAT WILL DISAPPEAR IN THE WHEELS OF HISTORY. YES, CANDIDACY IS NOT THE END OF THE ROAD. HOWEVER, TURKEY HAS ANNOUNCED ITS FULL AWARENESS OF THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A CANDIDATE FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP AND PLACED AS ITS FIRST PRIORITY HARMONIZATION WITH THE CRITERIA SET FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EU; AND IT HAS TAKEN ACTION TO THIS END.
TURKEY DEFINED IN THE DECISION OF THE HELSINKI SUMMIT AS "A CANDIDATE STATE DESTINED TO JOIN THE UNION ON THE BASIS OF THE SAME CRITERIA AS APPLIED TO THE OTHER CANDIDATE STATES" FACES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ACCELERATING THE REFORM PROCESS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATED IN ALL FIELDS FOR THIS PURPOSE. FROM NOW ON, WE SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE TIMING OF FULL MEMBERSHIP IS, IN SOME RESPECTS, UP TO US. WE CONSIDER THE CHALLENGE OF EXCEEDING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF CONTEMPORARY CIVILIZATION ON WHICH THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY IS BASED AS REACHING EUROPEAN STANDARDS IN ALL FIELDS. TURKEY HAS THE NECESSARY NATIONAL CONSENSUS TOWARDS THIS END. WE ARE IN THE EFFORT OF CONVERTING THIS NATIONAL CONSENSUS INTO A NATIONAL MOBILIZATION. I AM FULLY CONVINCED THAT NOT ONLY THE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, BUT ALL THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS, UNIVERSITIES, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, TRADE UNIONS, NGO's AND ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE WILLING TO UNDERTAKE THEIR SHARE OF THE TASK.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE ACCESSION CRITERIA THAT WE NEED TO COMPLY WITH ARE KNOWN. WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR NOT ONLY COMPLIANCE WITH THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA BUT ALSO THE MAASTRICHT CRITERIA AND THE EUROPEAN MONETARY UNION. THIS, IN FACT, IS AN OBJECTIVE THAT TURKEY HAS SET FOR ITSELF TO DEVELOP MORE, TO BECOME RICHER AND TO ACHIEVE PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS SOONER. THEREFORE, THE PREPARATORY PROCESS FOR ACCESSION TO THE EU MEANS AN EXTENSIVE PROJECT OF CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION FOR US. TURKEY IS DETERMINED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT WITH SUCCESS.
IN THE NEXT PERIOD, "HARMONIZATION" WILL BE THE KEY WORD THAT WE SHALL USE TO DESCRIBE OUR RELATIONS WITH THE EU. THE HARMONIZATION PROCESS IS SIMILAR TO A LONG DISTANCE RUNNING RACE. IN THIS SITUATION WHAT COUNTS IS TO KEEP RUNNING WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS AND TO COMPLETE THE RACE. IT IS, HOWEVER, EQUALLY IMPORTANT NOT TO FALL BEHIND THE OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE RACE. THUS, WE SHOULD MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE TIME ELEMENT IN THE NEW DYNAMIC INITIATED BY THE HELSINKI SUMMIT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOULD NOT LOSE MOMENTUM.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO OUR NATION: FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EUROPEAN UNION IS A CHOICE WE HAVE MADE BY OUR OWN FREE WILL. NO ONE CAN MAKE US A FULL MEMBER TO THE EUROPEAN UNION BY FORCE. THEREFORE, WE MUST RID OURSELVES OF THE DILEMMA OF TRYING TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER ON THE ONE HAND AND OF FEELING TO BE SUCCUMBED TO FOREIGN PRESSURE FOR THE REFORMS WE MUST ADOPT ON THE OTHER. REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS NECESSARY FOR FULL EU MEMBERSHIP MEANS THAT WE LACK WILLPOWER ON THIS ISSUE. IF WE ARE SINCERE ABOUT OUR WILLPOWER, WE MUST ADAPT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THE EU LEVEL IN ALL MATTERS AND CHANGE OUR PRESENT MINDSET IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. WE HAVE NO TIME TO LOSE.
1. WE MUST OVERCOME OUR SHORTCOMINGS IN DEMOCRACY, RESPECT TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW. TURKEY, WHICH HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SINCE ITS FOUNDATION AND THUS A PART OF THE EUROPEAN LEGAL SYSTEM, SHOULD BECOME A PARTY TO THOSE EUROPEAN CONVENTIONS TO WHICH IT IS NOT YET A PARTY; IT SHOULD ALSO BECOME FULLY COMPLIANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTIONS TO WHICH IT HAS ACCEDED. CONSTITUTIONS ARE SOCIAL CONTRACTS WHICH DETERMINE THE BASIC FOUNDATION OF THE STATE AND THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF INDIVIDUALS. CONSTITUTIONS HAVE BECOME SUBJECT TO INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY WITH THE ADVANCES IN THE CODIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN THE FIELD HUMAN RIGHTS. AS I HAVE EMPHASIZED MANY TIMES ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, TURKEY IS EXPOSED TO MANY CRITICISMS ABOUT ITS CONSTITUTION SINCE THE 1982 CONSTITUTION WAS DRAFTED AS A RESULT OF A MILITARY INTERVENTION AND THE PARTS ON RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS ARE SUBJECT TO A REGIME OF EXCEPTIONS. IN ADDITION, AS I HAVE EMPHASISED IN MY LAST SPEECH AT THE TGNA, THE SECTION OF THE TURKISH CONSTITUTION ON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS SHOULD BE HARMONISED WITH TURKEY'S INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS. THE TGNA SHOULD ENHANCE THE STEPS TAKEN TOWARDS THIS END AND SHOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL AMENDMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
2. AS TURKEY WORKS ON HARMONIZATION WITH THE EU ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE, IT SHOULD REVISE ITS ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE; IT SHOULD ADOPT A STATE STRUCTURE WHICH TAKES DECISIONS AT A LEVEL THAT IS CLOSEST TO ITS CITIZENS AND ESTABLISH THE STABILITY OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS.
3. TURKEY SHOULD UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE JUDICIAL REFORM AND ENSURE THE SWIFT, FAIR AND INDEPENDENT FUNCTIONING OF THE JUDICIARY. THIS IS ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF BEING A STATE OF LAW.
4. THE CURRENT ECONOMIC REFORM EFFORTS SHOULD BE ACCELERATED IN ORDER TO MEET FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
--REDUCING THE INFLATION RATE TO THE 2-3 PERCENT BAND WHILE KEEPING THE INTEREST RATES IN 5-6 PERCENT MARGINS;
--MEETING THE PRICE STABILITY CRITERION OF THE EU BY TAKING MEASURES TO MAINTAIN THE VALUE OF THE TURKISH LIRA;
--GIVING THE CENTRAL BANK OF TURKEY AN INDEPENDENT STRUCTURE;
--REDUCING THE BUDGET DEFICIT TO 3% OF THE GDP AND UNDERTAKING BASIC STRUCTURAL REFORMS, ESPECIALLY AN AGRICULTURAL REFORM;
--ACCELERATING THE PROCESS OF ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY INDUSTRIALISATION, MODERNISING AGRICULTURE AND INCREASING THE PRODUCTIVITY PER CAPITA, DECREASING THE RATIO OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS TO GENERAL POPULATION TO THAT OF THE EU;
--CONTINUING THE ENERGY INVESTMENT PROGRAM WHICH PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN INDUSTRIALIZATION;
--RENDERING PUBLIC TENDERS TRANSPARENT;
--IMPLEMENTING THE PRIVATIZATION PROGRAM IN A RAPID AND DETERMINED MANNER; BRINGING THE STATE INVOLVEMENT IN ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES TO AN END ONCE AND FOR ALL, INCLUDING IN BANKING AND INSURANCE;
--FIGHTING WITH DETERMINATION AGAINST CORRUPTION AND BECOMING A PARTY TO RELEVANT CONVENTIONS OF THE OECD AND COUNCIL OF EUROPE ON THIS MATTER;
--TO PRIORITIZE AND TO START IMMEDIATELY THE PROCESSES TO HARMONIZE THE SERVICE SECTOR WITH THE EU REGULATIONS AND COMPETITION PRACTICES.
5. ANOTHER ISSUE OF EXTRAORDINARY SIGNIFICANCE AND PRIORITY FOR TURKEY'S INTEGRATION WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION IS THE MAINTENANCE OF TURKEY'S ACTIVE FOREIGN POLICIES AND ITS PROMINENT ROLE AS A GLOBAL STATE IN A VAST GEOGRAPHY FROM THE BALKANS TO THE CAUCASUS, CENTRAL ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST; FROM THE CASPIAN AND BLACK SEA BASINS WHICH INCLUDE RUSSIA AND UKRAINE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN WHICH INCLUDES GREECE AND CYPRUS. TURKEY ADDS MORE STRENGTH AND RICHNESS TO EUROPE'S INTEGRATION WITH ITS ABILITY TO ADDRESS DIFFERENT CULTURES AND ITS KEY ROLE IN CARRYING TO THIS REGION EUROPE'S COMMON VALUES WITH THEIR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS. OUR LEADERSHIP AND EFFICIENCY IN REGIONAL COOPERATION INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE SOUTH EASTERN EUROPEAN STABILITY PACT, BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION, ECO, OUR CAUCASUS STABILITY PACT PROPOSAL; OUR ROLE IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE BALKANS, CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA; THE DIALOGUE WE ESTABLISHED WITH GREECE; THE PROXIMITY TALKS BETWEEN THE PARTIES CONCERNING CYPRUS; OUR BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA; AND BECOMING A GLOBAL ENERGY TERMINAL BY COMPLETING THE BAKU-CEYHAN PETROLEUM PIPELINE AND NATURAL GAS PIPELINES ARE AMONG FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMON FUTURE WITH EUROPE. WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EMPHASISE THESE ISSUES.
TURKEY WILL CONTINUE TO THE PATH TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT AND BETTERMENT IN ALL FIELDS, FROM EDUCATION TO HEALTH CARE, FROM ECONOMY TO LAW AND POLITICS. THIS PATH INTERSECTS WITH THE PATH OF FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EUROPEAN UNION. WE WILL BECOME A FULL MEMBER TO THE EUROPEAN UNION DURING THE FIRST DECADE OF THE 21. CENTURY. WE WILL COVER THIS BUMPY PATH BY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION. IN FACT, THE CONTACTS ESTABLISHED AND THE MEETINGS HELD BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION FOLLOWING THE HELSINKI SUMMIT INDICATE THAT THE EU HAS THE WILL TO WORK IN COOPERATION. THE DECISIONS TAKEN DURING THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON APRIL 11, 2000 AFTER MANY YEARS HAVE PROVEN THAT CONCRETE STEPS ARE TAKEN TO DEVELOP OUR RELATIONS. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THIS CONSTRUCTIVE BEGINNING WILL ENABLE US TO REACH OUR TARGET IN MUCH SHORTER TIME.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
WE KNOW THAT THE EU IS ON THE EVE OF REFORMS WHICH WILL ESTABLISH ITS INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE IN THE 21. CENTURY. THESE REFORMS ARE VITAL FOR ENLARGING IN A HEALTHY MANNER, AS WELL AS REINFORCE THE POSITION THE UNION WILL ESTABLISH IN THE FUTURE. TURKEY HOPES THAT THE WORK OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE, WHICH IS LARGELY DEDICATED TO REALIZING INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, WILL BE FINALIZED IN A MANNER ACCEPTABLE BY ALL MEMBER AND CANDIDATE COUNTRIES. MEANWHILE, WE BELIEVE THAT TURKEY, WHICH HAS BEEN MAKING SACRIFICES OVER THE YEARS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SECURITY IN EUROPE, WILL ESTABLISH A POSITION THAT IS PROPORTIONAL TO ITS EXPERIENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ESTABLISHING, GUIDING AND IMPLEMENTING COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICIES FOR EUROPE.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
ON THE OCCASION OF THE "EUROPEAN DAY", I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UPON ALL THE COUNTRIES OF OUR CONTINENT: THE PIONEERS OF THE NEW EUROPEAN PROJECT HAVE LEFT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS THE GREAT LEGACY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE BOLDEST PROJECT CREATED BY HUMAN INTELLIGENCE. THEY STARTED THIS JOURNEY WITH THE DREAM OF A EUROPE WHERE CONFLICT AND ANIMOSITY WOULD BE REPLACED BY COOPERATION, SOLIDARITY AND THE AWARENESS OF A COMMON DESTINY; WHERE PERMANENT PEACE WOULD REIGN ON THE BASIS OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, RULE OF LAW AND ECONOMIC FREEDOMS. TODAY, WE ARE CLOSER THAN EVER TO TURNING THEIR DREAM INTO REALITY. IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TOWARDS FUTURE GENERATIONS TO NOT WASTE THIS HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY. AS I LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, I CAN SEE A HOPEFUL EUROPE FOR THE 21. CENTURY. IN THIS DEMOCRATIC, PROSPEROUS AND PEACEFUL EUROPE, THE HAPPINESS OF ONE SHOULD NOT MEAN THE UNHAPPINESS OF ANOTHER, NEW DIVISIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED, EVERYONE HAS A SHARE IN EACH OTHER'S FATE. TURKEY WILL DETERMINEDLY CONTRIBUTE AS A PARTNER TO THE IDEAL OF ESTABLISHING A NEW EUROPE; IT WILL FURTHER ENRICH THE EUROPEAN UNION'S PLURALISTS STRUCTURE AS A COUNTRY WHICH HAS PROVEN THE COMPATIBILITY OF DEMOCRACY, SECULARISM AND ISLAM. I SHALL CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT NO MATTER WHERE I MAY BE. LET US UNITE OUR STRENGTHS AND WORK HAND IN HAND TO ESTABLISH A TRULY UNITED EUROPE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO ADDRESS YOU AT THE HOME OF ATATÜRK ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SCHUMAN DECLARATION WHICH IS ACCEPTED AS THE STARTING POINT IN CREATING A NEW EUROPE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS YEAR WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 9th MAY EUROPEAN DAY TOGETHER WITH OUR EU MEMBER AND CANDIDATE PARTNERS. A FEW DAYS LATER, WE SHALL BE CELEBRATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF 14 MAY 1950, WHICH IS A TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF TURKISH DEMOCRACY. IT IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT THAT THESE TWO HISTORICAL TURNING POINTS HAPPENED SO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE IDEA OF BUILDING A NEW EUROPE IS A DEMOCRATIC INTEGRATION PROJECT. TURKEY WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVES IN THE IDEA OF CREATING AN INTEGRATED EUROPE THAT SHALL RISE ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AMONGST COUNTRIES SHARING THE SAME DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND IDEALS; IT HAS BEEN SUPPORTING THIS EXCITING PROJECT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. BACK IN 1967 AT THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL MEETING IN BRUSSELS, IN MY CAPACITY AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE TIME I SAID, "FOR TURKEY, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY MEANS A GENUINE SUCCESS OF DEMOCRATIC ORDER". TODAY, THE FACT THAT OUR CONTINENT HAS COME CLOSER THAN EVER TO THE TARGET OF INTEGRATION AROUND THE IDEAL OF DEMOCRACY BURDENS US WITH A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE HISTORY.
IN EUROPE, WE HAVE LEFT BEHIND A MILLENNIUM FULL OF SEVERAL CONFLICTS AND WARS DUE TO POLITICAL, IDEOLOGICAL, RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES. DEMOCRATIC EUROPE PROJECT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL AVAILABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM THAT BEGUN ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE EUROPEAN IDENTITY DEFINED BY EQUALITY, FREEDOM AND FRATERNITY FOR ALL WORKS LIKE A KEY TO PEACE, PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THIS IDENTITY SHOULD IN NO WAY BE BASED ON RELIGION. THE MAIN BASIS OF THIS IDENTITY SHOULD BE COMPOSED OF VALUES LIKE DEMOCRACY, RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW THAT ARE PRODUCTS OF THE PAINFUL HISTORICAL EXPERIENCES OF EUROPE OF WHICH WE ARE A PART. THIS IDENTITY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WITH A JOINT STRUGGLE AGAINST RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION, RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA.
DEFINED BY ISMET INÖNÜ IN 1963 AS " THE BOLDEST PROJECT CREATED BY HUMAN INTELLIGENCE IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY SO FAR", THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS CURRENTLY BECOME A COMMON IDEAL AND A CENTRE OF ATTRACTION FOR ALL THE PEOPLES ON THE CONTINENT. THIS COMMON TARGET OFFERS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO ENRICH THE NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY WITH THE EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY. WE CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS OPPORTUNITY ONLY IF THE EUROPEAN UNION PERCEIVES CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AS THE SOURCE OF ITS RICHNESS.
THE EU HELSINKI SUMMIT DECISION DATED DECEMBER 10, 1999 CONFIRMING TURKEY'S CANDIDACY TO FULL MEMBERSHIP AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, DOES NOT ONLY HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BEING A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF TURKEY-EU RELATIONS BUT ALSO IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE ITSELF. WITH THIS DECISION, THE EU CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED ITS POSITION VIS-A-VIS THOSE WHO PRACTICE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES BASED ON RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES. THIS DECISION DID NOT ONLY MEAN A RED LIGHT TO TENDENCIES IN FAVOUR OF DEFINING THE EU ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS BUT ALSO PUT A MEANINGFUL STOP TO THE LAST MILLENNIUM FULL OF RELIGIOUS, ETHNIC, CULTURAL AND IDEOLOGICAL FRAGMENTATIONS AND CONFLICTS. A NEW ERA HAS STARTED IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE. THIS ERA SHALL BE DIFFERENT THAN THE PREVIOUS. ON THE HORIZON RISES A UNITED EUROPE CONSTRUCTED UPON THE SOLIDARITY OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACIES. THIS NEW EUROPE WHICH WE SHALL BUILD ALL TOGETHER WILL HAVE THE POWER OF "...BRINGING A MORAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD" AS SAID BY JEAN MONET AND IT WILL BE ERECTED ON THE BASIS OF THE NOTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL CITIZENSHIP BLENDING NATIONAL IDENTITY WITH EUROPEAN IDENTITY.
AS I APPROACH THE END OF MY TERM OF OFFICE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, IT IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT FOR ME TO SEE TURKEY LEAVE BEHIND A HISTORICAL TURN ON THE PATH OF FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EU. AS A POLITICIAN WHO HAS ALWAYS ADVOCATED AND STRUGGLED FOR DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND THE IDEA THAT THERE CANNOT BE A TURKEY WITHOUT EUROPE OR A EUROPE WITHOUT TURKEY, AND AS A POLITICIAN WHO HAS ALWAYS UNDERTAKEN WITH EXCITEMENT, ENTHUSIASM AND COMMITMENT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STEPS TO ENSURE TURKEY'S RIGHTFUL POSITION IN THE INTEGRATION OF EUROPE, I AM MUCH MORE HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC OF THE FUTURE. IN THIS RESPECT, I PARTICULARLY WOULD LIKE TO UNDERLINE THE FACT THAT TURKEY'S ACCESSION TO THE EU HAS TAKEN OFF ON A ROAD WITH NO POSSIBLE RETURN. I PERCEIVE QUESTIONING BY CERTAIN GROUPS WHETHER TURKEY REALLY BELONGS TO EUROPE AS THE REFLECTION OF AN UNHEALTHY STATE OF MIND THAT WILL DISAPPEAR IN THE WHEELS OF HISTORY. YES, CANDIDACY IS NOT THE END OF THE ROAD. HOWEVER, TURKEY HAS ANNOUNCED ITS FULL AWARENESS OF THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A CANDIDATE FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP AND PLACED AS ITS FIRST PRIORITY HARMONIZATION WITH THE CRITERIA SET FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EU; AND IT HAS TAKEN ACTION TO THIS END.
TURKEY DEFINED IN THE DECISION OF THE HELSINKI SUMMIT AS "A CANDIDATE STATE DESTINED TO JOIN THE UNION ON THE BASIS OF THE SAME CRITERIA AS APPLIED TO THE OTHER CANDIDATE STATES" FACES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ACCELERATING THE REFORM PROCESS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATED IN ALL FIELDS FOR THIS PURPOSE. FROM NOW ON, WE SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE TIMING OF FULL MEMBERSHIP IS, IN SOME RESPECTS, UP TO US. WE CONSIDER THE CHALLENGE OF EXCEEDING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF CONTEMPORARY CIVILIZATION ON WHICH THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY IS BASED AS REACHING EUROPEAN STANDARDS IN ALL FIELDS. TURKEY HAS THE NECESSARY NATIONAL CONSENSUS TOWARDS THIS END. WE ARE IN THE EFFORT OF CONVERTING THIS NATIONAL CONSENSUS INTO A NATIONAL MOBILIZATION. I AM FULLY CONVINCED THAT NOT ONLY THE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, BUT ALL THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS, UNIVERSITIES, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, TRADE UNIONS, NGO's AND ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE WILLING TO UNDERTAKE THEIR SHARE OF THE TASK.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE ACCESSION CRITERIA THAT WE NEED TO COMPLY WITH ARE KNOWN. WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR NOT ONLY COMPLIANCE WITH THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA BUT ALSO THE MAASTRICHT CRITERIA AND THE EUROPEAN MONETARY UNION. THIS, IN FACT, IS AN OBJECTIVE THAT TURKEY HAS SET FOR ITSELF TO DEVELOP MORE, TO BECOME RICHER AND TO ACHIEVE PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS SOONER. THEREFORE, THE PREPARATORY PROCESS FOR ACCESSION TO THE EU MEANS AN EXTENSIVE PROJECT OF CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION FOR US. TURKEY IS DETERMINED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT WITH SUCCESS.
IN THE NEXT PERIOD, "HARMONIZATION" WILL BE THE KEY WORD THAT WE SHALL USE TO DESCRIBE OUR RELATIONS WITH THE EU. THE HARMONIZATION PROCESS IS SIMILAR TO A LONG DISTANCE RUNNING RACE. IN THIS SITUATION WHAT COUNTS IS TO KEEP RUNNING WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS AND TO COMPLETE THE RACE. IT IS, HOWEVER, EQUALLY IMPORTANT NOT TO FALL BEHIND THE OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE RACE. THUS, WE SHOULD MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE TIME ELEMENT IN THE NEW DYNAMIC INITIATED BY THE HELSINKI SUMMIT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOULD NOT LOSE MOMENTUM.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO OUR NATION: FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EUROPEAN UNION IS A CHOICE WE HAVE MADE BY OUR OWN FREE WILL. NO ONE CAN MAKE US A FULL MEMBER TO THE EUROPEAN UNION BY FORCE. THEREFORE, WE MUST RID OURSELVES OF THE DILEMMA OF TRYING TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER ON THE ONE HAND AND OF FEELING TO BE SUCCUMBED TO FOREIGN PRESSURE FOR THE REFORMS WE MUST ADOPT ON THE OTHER. REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS NECESSARY FOR FULL EU MEMBERSHIP MEANS THAT WE LACK WILLPOWER ON THIS ISSUE. IF WE ARE SINCERE ABOUT OUR WILLPOWER, WE MUST ADAPT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THE EU LEVEL IN ALL MATTERS AND CHANGE OUR PRESENT MINDSET IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. WE HAVE NO TIME TO LOSE.
1. WE MUST OVERCOME OUR SHORTCOMINGS IN DEMOCRACY, RESPECT TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW. TURKEY, WHICH HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE SINCE ITS FOUNDATION AND THUS A PART OF THE EUROPEAN LEGAL SYSTEM, SHOULD BECOME A PARTY TO THOSE EUROPEAN CONVENTIONS TO WHICH IT IS NOT YET A PARTY; IT SHOULD ALSO BECOME FULLY COMPLIANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTIONS TO WHICH IT HAS ACCEDED. CONSTITUTIONS ARE SOCIAL CONTRACTS WHICH DETERMINE THE BASIC FOUNDATION OF THE STATE AND THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF INDIVIDUALS. CONSTITUTIONS HAVE BECOME SUBJECT TO INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY WITH THE ADVANCES IN THE CODIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN THE FIELD HUMAN RIGHTS. AS I HAVE EMPHASIZED MANY TIMES ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, TURKEY IS EXPOSED TO MANY CRITICISMS ABOUT ITS CONSTITUTION SINCE THE 1982 CONSTITUTION WAS DRAFTED AS A RESULT OF A MILITARY INTERVENTION AND THE PARTS ON RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS ARE SUBJECT TO A REGIME OF EXCEPTIONS. IN ADDITION, AS I HAVE EMPHASISED IN MY LAST SPEECH AT THE TGNA, THE SECTION OF THE TURKISH CONSTITUTION ON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS SHOULD BE HARMONISED WITH TURKEY'S INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS. THE TGNA SHOULD ENHANCE THE STEPS TAKEN TOWARDS THIS END AND SHOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL AMENDMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
2. AS TURKEY WORKS ON HARMONIZATION WITH THE EU ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE, IT SHOULD REVISE ITS ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE; IT SHOULD ADOPT A STATE STRUCTURE WHICH TAKES DECISIONS AT A LEVEL THAT IS CLOSEST TO ITS CITIZENS AND ESTABLISH THE STABILITY OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS.
3. TURKEY SHOULD UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE JUDICIAL REFORM AND ENSURE THE SWIFT, FAIR AND INDEPENDENT FUNCTIONING OF THE JUDICIARY. THIS IS ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF BEING A STATE OF LAW.
4. THE CURRENT ECONOMIC REFORM EFFORTS SHOULD BE ACCELERATED IN ORDER TO MEET FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
--REDUCING THE INFLATION RATE TO THE 2-3 PERCENT BAND WHILE KEEPING THE INTEREST RATES IN 5-6 PERCENT MARGINS;
--MEETING THE PRICE STABILITY CRITERION OF THE EU BY TAKING MEASURES TO MAINTAIN THE VALUE OF THE TURKISH LIRA;
--GIVING THE CENTRAL BANK OF TURKEY AN INDEPENDENT STRUCTURE;
--REDUCING THE BUDGET DEFICIT TO 3% OF THE GDP AND UNDERTAKING BASIC STRUCTURAL REFORMS, ESPECIALLY AN AGRICULTURAL REFORM;
--ACCELERATING THE PROCESS OF ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY INDUSTRIALISATION, MODERNISING AGRICULTURE AND INCREASING THE PRODUCTIVITY PER CAPITA, DECREASING THE RATIO OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS TO GENERAL POPULATION TO THAT OF THE EU;
--CONTINUING THE ENERGY INVESTMENT PROGRAM WHICH PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN INDUSTRIALIZATION;
--RENDERING PUBLIC TENDERS TRANSPARENT;
--IMPLEMENTING THE PRIVATIZATION PROGRAM IN A RAPID AND DETERMINED MANNER; BRINGING THE STATE INVOLVEMENT IN ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES TO AN END ONCE AND FOR ALL, INCLUDING IN BANKING AND INSURANCE;
--FIGHTING WITH DETERMINATION AGAINST CORRUPTION AND BECOMING A PARTY TO RELEVANT CONVENTIONS OF THE OECD AND COUNCIL OF EUROPE ON THIS MATTER;
--TO PRIORITIZE AND TO START IMMEDIATELY THE PROCESSES TO HARMONIZE THE SERVICE SECTOR WITH THE EU REGULATIONS AND COMPETITION PRACTICES.
5. ANOTHER ISSUE OF EXTRAORDINARY SIGNIFICANCE AND PRIORITY FOR TURKEY'S INTEGRATION WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION IS THE MAINTENANCE OF TURKEY'S ACTIVE FOREIGN POLICIES AND ITS PROMINENT ROLE AS A GLOBAL STATE IN A VAST GEOGRAPHY FROM THE BALKANS TO THE CAUCASUS, CENTRAL ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST; FROM THE CASPIAN AND BLACK SEA BASINS WHICH INCLUDE RUSSIA AND UKRAINE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN WHICH INCLUDES GREECE AND CYPRUS. TURKEY ADDS MORE STRENGTH AND RICHNESS TO EUROPE'S INTEGRATION WITH ITS ABILITY TO ADDRESS DIFFERENT CULTURES AND ITS KEY ROLE IN CARRYING TO THIS REGION EUROPE'S COMMON VALUES WITH THEIR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS. OUR LEADERSHIP AND EFFICIENCY IN REGIONAL COOPERATION INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE SOUTH EASTERN EUROPEAN STABILITY PACT, BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION, ECO, OUR CAUCASUS STABILITY PACT PROPOSAL; OUR ROLE IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE BALKANS, CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA; THE DIALOGUE WE ESTABLISHED WITH GREECE; THE PROXIMITY TALKS BETWEEN THE PARTIES CONCERNING CYPRUS; OUR BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA; AND BECOMING A GLOBAL ENERGY TERMINAL BY COMPLETING THE BAKU-CEYHAN PETROLEUM PIPELINE AND NATURAL GAS PIPELINES ARE AMONG FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMON FUTURE WITH EUROPE. WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EMPHASISE THESE ISSUES.
TURKEY WILL CONTINUE TO THE PATH TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT AND BETTERMENT IN ALL FIELDS, FROM EDUCATION TO HEALTH CARE, FROM ECONOMY TO LAW AND POLITICS. THIS PATH INTERSECTS WITH THE PATH OF FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EUROPEAN UNION. WE WILL BECOME A FULL MEMBER TO THE EUROPEAN UNION DURING THE FIRST DECADE OF THE 21. CENTURY. WE WILL COVER THIS BUMPY PATH BY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION. IN FACT, THE CONTACTS ESTABLISHED AND THE MEETINGS HELD BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION FOLLOWING THE HELSINKI SUMMIT INDICATE THAT THE EU HAS THE WILL TO WORK IN COOPERATION. THE DECISIONS TAKEN DURING THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON APRIL 11, 2000 AFTER MANY YEARS HAVE PROVEN THAT CONCRETE STEPS ARE TAKEN TO DEVELOP OUR RELATIONS. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THIS CONSTRUCTIVE BEGINNING WILL ENABLE US TO REACH OUR TARGET IN MUCH SHORTER TIME.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
WE KNOW THAT THE EU IS ON THE EVE OF REFORMS WHICH WILL ESTABLISH ITS INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE IN THE 21. CENTURY. THESE REFORMS ARE VITAL FOR ENLARGING IN A HEALTHY MANNER, AS WELL AS REINFORCE THE POSITION THE UNION WILL ESTABLISH IN THE FUTURE. TURKEY HOPES THAT THE WORK OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE, WHICH IS LARGELY DEDICATED TO REALIZING INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, WILL BE FINALIZED IN A MANNER ACCEPTABLE BY ALL MEMBER AND CANDIDATE COUNTRIES. MEANWHILE, WE BELIEVE THAT TURKEY, WHICH HAS BEEN MAKING SACRIFICES OVER THE YEARS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SECURITY IN EUROPE, WILL ESTABLISH A POSITION THAT IS PROPORTIONAL TO ITS EXPERIENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ESTABLISHING, GUIDING AND IMPLEMENTING COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICIES FOR EUROPE.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
ON THE OCCASION OF THE "EUROPEAN DAY", I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UPON ALL THE COUNTRIES OF OUR CONTINENT: THE PIONEERS OF THE NEW EUROPEAN PROJECT HAVE LEFT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS THE GREAT LEGACY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE BOLDEST PROJECT CREATED BY HUMAN INTELLIGENCE. THEY STARTED THIS JOURNEY WITH THE DREAM OF A EUROPE WHERE CONFLICT AND ANIMOSITY WOULD BE REPLACED BY COOPERATION, SOLIDARITY AND THE AWARENESS OF A COMMON DESTINY; WHERE PERMANENT PEACE WOULD REIGN ON THE BASIS OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, RULE OF LAW AND ECONOMIC FREEDOMS. TODAY, WE ARE CLOSER THAN EVER TO TURNING THEIR DREAM INTO REALITY. IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TOWARDS FUTURE GENERATIONS TO NOT WASTE THIS HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY. AS I LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, I CAN SEE A HOPEFUL EUROPE FOR THE 21. CENTURY. IN THIS DEMOCRATIC, PROSPEROUS AND PEACEFUL EUROPE, THE HAPPINESS OF ONE SHOULD NOT MEAN THE UNHAPPINESS OF ANOTHER, NEW DIVISIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED, EVERYONE HAS A SHARE IN EACH OTHER'S FATE. TURKEY WILL DETERMINEDLY CONTRIBUTE AS A PARTNER TO THE IDEAL OF ESTABLISHING A NEW EUROPE; IT WILL FURTHER ENRICH THE EUROPEAN UNION'S PLURALISTS STRUCTURE AS A COUNTRY WHICH HAS PROVEN THE COMPATIBILITY OF DEMOCRACY, SECULARISM AND ISLAM. I SHALL CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT NO MATTER WHERE I MAY BE. LET US UNITE OUR STRENGTHS AND WORK HAND IN HAND TO ESTABLISH A TRULY UNITED EUROPE.
