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Updated: 28-May-2002 NATO Speeches

Rome,
Italy
28 May 2002

Address

By H.E. Ahmet Necdet Sezer,
President of the Republic of Turkey
at the NATO-Russia Council Meeting
of Heads of State and Government

Mr. Secretary General,
Fellow Heads of State and Government,
Distinguished Participants,

It is my pleasure to attend this historic meeting. On behalf of myself and my Delegation, I extend my thanks to our Host, His Excellency Prime Minister Berlusconi and the Italian Government, for the warm hospitality and for the facilities provided to organize in the best possible way this meeting, that records the rapprochement between NATO and Russia, which will make significant contributions to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region, as well as to the global security.

I would also like to express our pleasure in seeing Mr. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, among us as an equal member of this Council. I welcome him wholeheartedly. We support the steps taken by President Putin in the pursuit of getting his country closer with the Euro-Atlantic structures and wish that they will continue.

Dear Participants,

The Russian Federation is a key player in the security, stability and prosperity, of the Euro-Atlantic region. Moreover, the stability and prosperity of Russia as well as its commitment to our shared values, embodied in NATO, are important.

Our generation had intensively experienced the tensions and fears of the Cold War. The collapse of the Berlin War and the subsequent developments removed these fears. Today we are embarking on a new journey on the basis of mutual trust, by completely breaking all the walls of suspicion in our memories.

On 27 May 1997, with the signature of the NATO-Russia Founding Act, NATO and the Russian Federation confirmed that they would not regard themselves as adversaries any longer. Five years later, with the new Declaration to be signed today, the equal partnership between NATO and Russia is being registered irreversibly in the annals of history at the highest level.

The new security environment emerging in the Euro-Atlantic region requires a more intense cooperation with the Russian Federation. NATO's external adaptation, EU's enlargement and emergence as a new security player, arising risks and threats in the post-September 11 era, terrorism in the Eurasia region, extremist movements, the danger of the proliferation and use of WMDs, compel all of us to act together in order to defend the future of our peoples as well as of our common civilization.

Among the priority goals of the Turkish foreign policy is the strengthening of our bilateral cooperation with our friend and neighbour Russia and elevating it to an advanced level of partnership to our mutual benefits. We know that Russia shares the same determination.

Turkey considers Russia, with whom it has been in relation for centuries and has shared the same geography, not as a rival but a partner of cooperation. Constructive and creative cooperation in this geography covering the Black Sea, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia, will contribute to the security, stability and economic prosperity of not only our two countries, but also of the whole Euro-Atlantic region. With this understanding, an Action Plan for co-operation in Eurasia was signed between Turkey and Russia.
Today's Summit Meeting coincides with the tenth anniversary of the bilateral Agreement on the Principles of the Relations between Turkey and Russia, which was signed on 25 May 1992, in me aftermath of the end of the Cold War. This adds particular value on our part, to today's event.

We believe that works to be carried out in the selected areas determined for consultation, joint decision and joint action at the new Council will make significant contributions to the prevention and the countering of the common risks and threats.

In this context, I would like to underline the importance Turkey attaches to the fight against terrorism, which is also among the priority objectives of the Council. Having lost thousands of its citizens to terrorism, the Turkish nation has learnt bitterly the scope of this threat. Unfortunately, on September 11 our American friends had to experience the same grief.

Whomever they are directed to and whatever their roots, motives and methods are, unless all terror organizations are eliminated, it will not be possible for nations to live in peace and security. It is high time for concrete cooperation.

On the other hand, we should also continue our efforts of non-proliferation of WMDs with determination. Turkey is party to all international treaties and regimes on the non-proliferation of WMDs and attaches great importance on these studies. In this context, I would like to underline that we welcome the agreement between the US and Russia to lower the quantity of the strategic nuclear warheads and the US-Russian statement on the framework of new strategic relations.

To conclude, I wish to reiterate our readiness to render every possible endeavour for an efficient functioning of the new Council in the face of these risks and threats, and extend my best regards.

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