In the last 6 months several formal visits have been made within a region encompassing primarily African countries as well as the Middle East and China. These visits mean more export activities for Turkish businessmen, more road, dam, airport and hospital projects for Turkish contractors.
Starting with Turgut Özal, Turkey has claimed its place in the internal arena and today, thanks to Prime Minister Erdoğan’s determined foreign policy, our country has proved its value and existence.
Today Turkey in on the right axis and it has been understood that our country, without pursuing any interest and free of external inşuences, can undertake the task of being a bridge between two different ideologies, helping two different nations or societies to live in peace. The ones who say that “Turkey’s axis is shifting" can be our neighbours whom until today we defended against Arab countries. Turkey is becoming the leader of Central Asia, the Middle East and part of Europe. This road is clear and straight. There are people who are trying to "put stones on this road", but today we have a self-confident Turkey with an established political infrastructure and in a perfectly acceptable position. After our Prime Minister’s “One Minute” intervention, our country's credibility and sincerity has been declared.
Today, we are in contact with many Muslim countries. We have even visited countries like Etiopia, where to make an investment is considered a risk. Turkish Airlines has started to şy weekly to Adis Ababa. We would like to thank Turkish Airlines for facilitating our efforts. Turkish contractors are engineering several big projects over there. This is part of Turkey’s policy to expand peacefully and humanistically in Africa.
The President of Sudan Mr. El Beşir, who at the last moment decided not to participate in the ISEDAK Conference to be held on the first week of November, has been kind. This was a gesture to prevent negative propaganda against Turkey. The Turkish people have expressed they would be pleased to see him in our country. We would like to remind you that we are sorry because of his absence, because he is the president of a Muslim country. Sudan is the world’s 10th largest state, which also has the world's 8th largest oil reserves. With the Nile and other water sources, it has a territory 3 times larger than Turkey and the country has an natural agricultural potential to feed 1 billion people. El Beşir and his administration are favoring Turkey and presently our constructions by Turkish contractors reached a turnover of 1 billion dollars; moreover, Turkey's export activities in that region reach approximately 200 million dollars. Within about 10 years Turkey’s commercial volume with Sudan will reach 7 billion dollars.
Today there are fierce protestations against Sudan. It is known that the money spent for these organizations is sufficient to feed the hungry, miserable, sick and homeless people in Darfour for 20 years. However, Darfour is not under attack by the Government of Sudan. The ethnic groups in the region are fighting each other. The most problematic ones are the refugees coming from outside Sudan, whose weapons’ source is unknown. Our Prime Minister Erdoğan has made a very accurate statement about this matter: “Throughout history no Muslim state has committed an act of genocide". Why is it that today, the only organization to feed and help the hungry people in Darfour is the Turkish Red Cross? If a very high price weren’t demanded for each human aid, today this war, carnage, hunger and sickness would be finished. No one is intervening. Everyone is after the energy sources, protecting their own kids and securing their future by intercepting the rights of others. Why is it that, until President Clinton intervened, no one said “Stop!” in the Center of Europe to the Bosnian Carnage where 300 hundred thousand people were killed? It is thought provoking. It is obvious that there is a similar discrimination against Muslims in Sudan. Turkey doesn’t accept this approach and will continue to support its Muslim brother Sudan.
Today, our country’s base of financial and political stability is promising us more successful, peaceful and happy days in 2010. I would like to convey my wishes of good fortune to everyone.