Danimarka Dış Politika Derneğinde Türkiye-AB Konferansı (İng.)

SPEECH BY AMBASSADOR DR. ONUR OYMEN
UNDERSECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY,
AT THE DANISH FOREIGN POLICY SOCIETY
(COPENHAGEN, 8 FEBRUARY 1996)

 
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,

It is a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to share with you my views on Turkey’s relations with the European Union, as well as recent political developments in Turkey and major international and regional issues.

The Danish Foreign Policy Society is a renowned institution, with which we have always sought to improve our relations and benefit from the works of it. As a former Turkish Ambassador in your beautiful country, I am particularly delighted to be back among friends.

Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,

Turkey is the only country, which is a member of NATO, OECD, OSCE, Council of Europe, Islamic Conference Organization, Economic Cooperation Organization, Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, and a row of others. This is due to our rich history, strategic location, active pursuit of democratic ideals and economic vigor.

Last but not least, the Customs Union that took effect as of 1 January 1996 is a major step toward Turkey’s full integration with the European Union. Turkey, as a candidate for full membership to the European Union, will also play an important role in shaping the Europe of tomorrow.

Turkey offers a good example, at this time probably the only example, of a democratic state with predominantly Muslim population. Turkey had adopted democratic principles at the very early stage of its founding. These principles have led to strong democratic institutions, regular and free elections, an active parliament, an independent judiciary, an accountable government, a competitive political atmosphere, and, most important of all, a free press. There are more than 4,000 private radio stations and close to 20 national and 300 local TV stations. They inform the public, freely criticize the government and help further democracy.  Turkey is committed to the democratic process and enacts laws and regulations and from time to time, undertakes constitutional changes to secure its steady development. Turkey sticks to this policy although it is facing a ruthless terror campaign.

Terrorism has proved to be main obstacle towards democracy in our region. The terrorist organization PKK is benefiting from the vacuum of power in northern Iraq with help from some neighboring countries. Turkey will continue to exercise its legitimate right to fight against terrorism to protect its citizens and safeguard its territory. However, to consolidate peace and security in the region and in the world, a more effective and determined international cooperation is needed.

In this context, I should like to express our satisfaction with regard to Prime Minister Rasmussen’s latest statement in reply to a question at the Danish Parliament, in which he emphasized the following: “It is the Danish policy not to answer letters from PKK which is considered a terrorist organization. This also covers PKK’s letter of December 26th, 1995. This corresponds to the attitude of our EU partners and other close countries…”

I would also like to refer to the article recently appeared in “Jyllands-Posten”, entitled “The New Terror”. Allow me to bring to your kind attention the section of this article concerning the PKK terror organization: “There are also other groups in the region and few act with greater ruthlessness than the so-called Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) which is not a labor party but a Syrian instrument to destroy Turkey, the only secular, pro-western democracy in the Muslim world…”

Does one need further evidence to comprehend the challenges Turkey is facing in its region?

Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,

With the established democratic institutions, Turkey is prepared and committed to perform an important function with a view to disseminating democracy to its region, setting an example to authoritarian regimes so that the people living in those countries will see an alternative. This holds true also for the newly independent countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus.

At this juncture, I believe it would be worth recalling that more than 200 million people live in the former Soviet republics, an important part of who are of Turkish origin. Besides, more than 15 percent of the population in the Russian Federation that is close to 20 million people is also of Turkish origin.
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,

I would now like to share with you some data regarding Turkey’s capabilities in the economic field.
We believe that economic development is one of the main prerequisites for   political stability as well as the preservation of independences and national   sovereignty. Therefore, in the last couple of years, Turkey has provided economic and technical assistance and export credits to nearly fifty countries, totaling 2.8 billion dollars. Turkey, a technical assistance receiving country up until a few years ago, now holds fourth place in the world in extending foreign assistance as a percentage of our GNP.

The Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TICA), established under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is actively coordinating such efforts in many countries. It has recently established an office in Sarajevo to coordinate efforts in extending assistance for the reconstruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Thousands of Turkish companies are today working in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans. The Central Asian countries have started to communicate with the outside world through modern satellite systems, installed by Turkish   companies. Turkish firms are building factories, business centers and housing units in Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, the Ukraine and also in Central Asian republics. In Romania alone, we have more than 3,000 Turkish companies. We are producing television sets in Poland, cars in Egypt, refrigerators in Tunisia.  In a few months, a Turkish factory will become operational in China.

Turkish construction companies are extremely successful in international tenders. The total amount of projects undertaken by the Turkish contractors well exceeds 20 billion dollars.

These are lucrative grounds for cooperation between Turkish and Danish companies. We are inviting Danish companies to explore prospects of cooperation with their Turkish counterparts in the international economic arena.

All these new developments considerably helped in the dynamic growth of the Turkish economy. Let me bring to your attention some OECD data reflecting the nature of the growth in the Turkish economy:

- As regards increase in GDP, Turkey is in the first place among all OECD countries in six of the last ten years; according to OECD forecasts, it will maintain the same place in 1996;

- Turkey registered 6.8 percent increase in real GDP in 1995;

- As regards increase in real total domestic demand, in 1995 Turkey held the first place, and a similar trend is expected to be achieved in 1996;

-   In terms of growth in real export of goods and services, Turkey managed to score the highest level in most of the last ten years;

-     The increase rate of Turkey’s exports is above that of the OECD average;

-    Among those European members of the OECD, with regard to annual increase in exports in 1995, Turkey is second to only Italy; and projections for the years 1996 and 1997 indicate that Turkey will maintain its top position;

-    In terms of increase in imports, Turkey was first in 1995; and according to the OECD forecasts for the years 1996 and1997; it will occupy first and second positions consecutively;

- In terms of employment, Turkey and Japan have been the only OECD countries that scored positive growth since 1979.

- In 1995, the rate of unemployment in seven OECD countries, including Italy, France, Belgium and Spain, was higher than that of Turkey; whereas Denmark and Turkey had the same rate;

- Turkey’s gross national savings as percentage of GDP is in steady increase, from 15 percent in the 1970s, it increased to the present 20.6 percent;

These facts led the US Administration to select Turkey as one of the ten Big Emerging Markets. It has unique features among these Markets. To mention some, it is the only one to have Customs Union with the EU. No other is a NATO ally.
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,

Now I wish to touch upon Turkey’s relations with the European Union.

As to the assessment of Turkey’s economic relations with the European Union, I would like to point out that the Customs Union that took effect as of 1 January 1996 is a major step towards Turkey’s full integration with the EU. As far as the internal market is concerned, the EU has thus enlarged to Turkey.  From now on, in the context of the internal market and Common Trade Policy, one should talk of the  “Sixteen”, rather than the “Fifteen”.

Customs Union will have significant economic and political benefits both for the EU and Turkey.

For the EU, the economic benefits are manifold:

-    The Customs Union opens and consolidates the Turkish market in a privileged manner for Community producers.

- Turkey is already the country with which the Community has the largest trade surplus. The annual trade volume between the parties is expected to grow from 20 billion up to 40 billion dollars by the year 2000.

-    With the Customs Union, Turkey is harmonizing its economic legislation with that of the Community. As a result, the conditions for doing business in Turkey   are becoming substantially similar to those existing in the Community.

-    The EU companies will be able to use Turkey as a joint investment and export base for the Middle East, the Black Sea region and Central Asia.

Obviously, there are also reciprocal benefits for the Turkish economy:

-     It will help rationalize and modernize Turkey’s economic structure.

-     Increased competition will improve the efficiency of Turkish companies.

-    The Customs Union is expected to give rise to an increased an easier inflow of foreign direct investment. Needless to say that Danish investors should also take full advantage of this most suitable environment. They should take notice that no foreign investor has recorded a loss in its operations in Turkey in the last ten years.

Let me briefly elaborate on some of the political aspects of the Customs Union for both sides:

-      It will firmly anchor Turkey to the West and to the EU in particular.

-     It will increase the appeal of the Turkish model in a region beset by economic difficulties and political instability.

-     It will send a highly important message to the Islamic world by demonstrating that religious differences are not an absolute barrier to integration.
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,

As an emerging economic market and growing stability factor in the region, Turkey will now concretely work to complete full membership process.

Turkey and the EU are bound with the Ankara Agreement whose Article 28 reads as follows: “As soon as the operation of this Agreement has advanced far enough to justify envisaging full acceptance by Turkey of the obligations arising out of the Treaty establishing the Community, the contracting parties shall examine the possibility of the accession of Turkey to the Community.”

This has become part and parcel of the acquis communautaire. In its reply to Turkey’s application of 1967 for full membership, the EU has unequivocally acknowledged its eligibility in this regard. With the completion of the Customs Union, we have now reached the third stage of the Ankara Agreement and the last one before full membership.

At this juncture, I would like to quote the following paragraph of the preamble of the decision on Customs Union: “Considering that the objectives set out by the Ankara Agreement and in particular by it’s Article 28, which established the association between Turkey and the Community maintain all their significance at this time of great political economic transformation on the European scene.”

 
Distinguished Guests,

In view of these considerations, I am fully convinced that Turkey is no less eligible, if not more, than those candidates for full membership in the EU. Should unwarranted obstacles are raised for Turkey’s full membership, this will undoubtedly create disillusionment in the Turkish public opinion who will then be justified to question the real intentions of Europe.

We have made our choice for democracy and the west.

We stand ready. Now it is Europe’s time to choose.

I thank you once again for inviting me to be with you this evening.