TURKEY`S PRIORITIES

FOR THE

64th SESSION

OF THE

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

September 2009
 CONTENTS

- The Current International Security Environment and the Role of the UN

- Turkey and the UN

- UN Reform

- Global Economy and Development Issues – MDGs

- Humanitarian Assistance

- More Effective Conflict Prevention, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

- Combating Terrorism

- Disarmament and Non-proliferation

- Combating Illegal Migration

- Combating Illegal Drug Trafficking

- Human Rights

- Environmental Issues and Climate Change

- Gender Issues

- Alliance of Civilizations

- Cyprus
The Current International Security Environment and the Role of the UN

Much has changed since the United Nations was founded 63 years ago. Within the past 20
years, in particular, the international security environment has evolved in an unprecedented
manner and the process of transformation is still underway in many respects. Today, the
process of globalization is engulfing every region around the world and we are all grappling
with the manifold challenges posed and opportunities presented by this phenomenon. Our
record in this regard is so far a mixed one with many uncertainties looming in the horizon.

What is obvious, though, is that the whole world has become ever more interdependent.
Indeed, regional developments now affect the entire world, regardless of geographical
distances. Furthermore, while conventional conflicts remain a formidable challenge, we have
witnessed the emergence of new risks and threats, such as terrorism, WMD proliferation,
extremism, racial and cultural discrimination, organized crime, illegal trafficking of all kinds
(human, drug, arms), poverty, environmental degradation and epidemic diseases. They affect
our collective peace and security in unparalleled ways.

In light of these new and evolving challenges, forging a truly effective international
cooperation has now become even more essential for maintaining global security and stability.
In that respect, the relevance and importance of the United Nations as a universal organization
bringing together 192 nations around common values and principles has inevitably further
increased.

Furthermore, the problem areas that require a strong and robust UN engagement have
substantially evolved, becoming deeper and broader in their scope and extent. Today, the
UN’s wide-ranging mandate covers not only conflict prevention and peace-building, but also
post-conflict reconstruction, poverty eradication, sustainable development, promotion of
human rights and advancement of environment related issues. While addressing such
problems, we should bear in mind that intercultural misconceptions can affect the security
environment and therefore our efforts should comprise intercultural dialogue as well.

Against this backdrop, it is obvious that we need a more effective and functional United
Nations to properly face the major problems of peace and security, as well as the other
challenges of our time. The efforts to reform the UN thus constitute an extremely important
endeavour. Our objective should be to enhance the capabilities of the United Nations,
enabling it to better address the new and complex issues on the international agenda. Indeed,
if effective multilateralism is the key to lasting peace and security, then we should all exert
every effort to ensure that the United Nations achieves this goal in a meaningful way.

To this end, we must strive to make the UN a venue where we not only consult and discuss
among ourselves, but also jointly act upon the challenges facing us all. The UN, by virtue of
its universal founding principles, should be able to generate a strong political will for
international cooperation, and as such, translate our commitments into concrete actions. This
requires full cooperation and coordination between the Member States and the entire UN
system, as well as a clear focus on the objectives. Turkey is fully committed to help realize
this objective.
Turkey and the UN
The United Nations holds a central place in Turkish foreign policy and we therefore attach
utmost importance to the effective functioning of the UN. Turkey believes that its foreign
policy objectives are best served when the core values and principles enshrined in the UN
Charter are upheld universally. The culture of peace, of which Turkey is a strong advocate,
can be advanced and sustained only with an effective and credible UN leading the global
efforts in this direction.

This is why Turkey is committed to equally promoting the three main pillars of the UN,
namely the maintenance of security, the advancement of sustainable development and the
promotion of human rights. In our view, these objectives are inextricably linked to each other
and neither one of them may be achieved without meaningful progress on the other two.
Therefore, Turkey strives to contribute to the accomplishment of these goals with full vigour
and without any distinction.

In this regard, Turkey feels itself particularly well-placed to be able to help the UN achieve its
objectives. Indeed, it would not be an overstatement to claim that the emergence of new
challenges to international security has placed Turkey at the epicenter of a host of
conventional and asymmetrical risks and threats characterizing a vast geography ranging from
the Balkans to the Middle East, from the Black Sea and Mediterranean to the Caucasus and
Central Asia.

Furthermore, the multi-dimensional character of the new security environment also enables
and compels Turkey to be more active in contributing to UN efforts in the service of
international peace and stability. In today’s world, our security cannot be ensured by military
means alone. Historical, social, cultural, political and economic factors increasingly enter into
play and affect the international security environment. It is within such a context that Turkey,
with its vibrant economy, strong democratic tradition, social dynamism, cultural richness and
well-trained armed forces, feels itself particularly well-poised to play a distinct role in
contributing to global stability.

Looking back to the recent past and the efforts exerted by Turkey in addressing those
common risks, threats and opportunities alike, one sees a solid record confirming Turkey’s
potential. In this vein, Turkey’s humanitarian and development assistance has been steadily
rising in recent years enabling us to be designated as an “emerging donor”. Moreover,
Turkey’s level of participation in UN and other peacekeeping missions ranging from Haiti to
Lebanon has shown a constant increase, making us an important contributor to such
operations. Furthermore, Turkey is one of the few countries that are uniquely placed to play a
truly moderating role to bridge cultures through dialogue and promotion of mutual
understanding, as evidenced by our co-sponsorship of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative.

Mention should also be made of Turkey’s active policies in forging regional cooperation
schemes in its immediate region; its critical standing in energy security issues thanks to its
geostrategic location at the cross-roads of producing and consuming countries; its
commitment to advance human rights and rule of law domestically and internationally; its
dedication to reach out and enhance its relations with all Member States; and its membership
in a multitude of international organizations representing various regions and cultures while
emphasizing Turkey’s actual and possible contributions to world peace.
In light of the foregoing, Turkey feels that it indeed brings an added value to the work of the
UN. As such, Turkey is committed to continue to play an active role in every aspect of the
UN agenda, including through its non-permanent seat in the Security Council for the term
2009-2010 and its upcoming ECOSOC-membership in 2010.
UN Reform

UN reform is a long process aimed at making the UN more relevant and effective in today’s
international political scene. Promising momentum has been reached on this process over the
last five years. This momentum should be preserved and efforts should be re-doubled to
conclude the pending reform issues with the continuing support of all membership. All
aspects of the reform process should receive equal attention from the membership.

The establishment of the Peace Building Commission and the Human Rights Council, the
creation of the Central Emergency Response Fund, as well as the adoption of the Counter-
Terrorism Strategy, are some of the most concrete and notable accomplishments in the UN
reform process. Progress has been achieved in other areas as well. A number of management
reforms aimed at making the Secretariat more transparent, more accountable and more ethical
have also been adopted. A pilot project in eight countries testing the new UN “Delivering as
One” concept for development assistance has signalled encouraging progress. Promising steps
have also been taken on the revitalization of the General Assembly and the mandate review.

Yet a comprehensive reform of the UN system cannot be completed without the reform of
the Security Council. The Security Council should have a more democratic and equitable
composition that corresponds to contemporary international realities. An expansion of the
Security Council in the non-permanent category will better reflect the principle of sovereign
equality of nations – the very foundation upon which the UN is built. Such an expansion can
achieve the objectives of rendering the Security Council more democratic, equitably
representative, transparent, effective and accountable. The criteria for membership should be
reasonable and achievable to ensure equitable representation.

While deliberating on UN Security Council reform, it is important to avoid approaches that

would create divisions among the membership. If the result of this process does not enjoy
general agreement and hence the membership remains divided, this might even prove to be
detrimental to the credibility and legitimacy of the Council, defeating the very purpose of the
reform process. The common objective of the Council reform should remain the same; that is,
to seek an outcome which will garner the widest possible agreement among the membership.
Only such an outcome would make the Security Council more democratic, accountable,
responsive and representative. Flexibility, transparency and constructiveness should guide the
negotiations to this end.

An integral component of Security Council reform has to do with the Council’s working
methods. A more transparent, efficient and interactive Council, functioning in increased
cooperation and coordination with the main UN bodies, will enhance the credibility of the
whole UN system. The steps already taken by the Security Council to improve its working
methods are encouraging. Yet, there is still room for further progress and efforts to this end
should be continued.

As the chief representative organ of the United Nations, the General Assembly has a crucial
role in policy-making and norm-setting. Its role and authority should be strengthened. In order
to reinforce the credibility of the General Assembly, and thus the United Nations, there needs
to be a permanent and effective follow-up mechanism for the implementation of its
resolutions. The General Assembly needs a more focused agenda that better addresses
contemporary challenges. It should continue to identify priority areas for discussion for every
session, which could allow for more focused and result-oriented discussions. The relationship
between the General Assembly and other principal organs should be strengthened in order to
enhance coordination and avoid duplication in their work.

The revitalization of the General Assembly, increasing the efficiency, effectiveness and
accountability of the Secretariat and management reform will allow the UN to enhance its
authority as well as its capacity to address the challenges it faces.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) plays a central role in the oversight and
coordination of UN work in the economic, social and environmental fields, including the
promotion and protection of human rights and gender equality. As mentioned in the 2005
World Summit Outcome, “the Council should play a major role in the overall coordination of
funds, programmes and agencies, ensuring coherence among them and avoiding duplication
of mandates and activities.” ECOSOC’s efficiency and effectiveness should be improved, by
allowing for a more interactive and result-oriented debate on major issues. This might require
modifications on the agenda and a reorganization of the work of various commissions and
committees for improved coordination with the ECOSOC.

There is a need to streamline the UN activities in the fields of environment, development and
humanitarian aid and other cross-cutting subjects and to take measures to strengthen the UN
administration. The High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence has accurately concluded
that the UN’s operational activities at the country level need to be further strengthened and
better coordinated. The “one UN” approach will certainly improve the effectiveness of UN
activities in partner countries and will generate considerable benefits for them. The pilot
countries will be individual test cases for this challenging initiative.

Following the report of the High Level Panel and the report of the Secretary-General
containing his comments thereon, as mandated by the President of the General Assembly, the
Co-Chairs of the Assembly’s consultative process on System-wide Coherence provided a fair
and balanced report. It is now expected that the Assembly and the inter-governmental work on
System-wide Coherence will further focus, exclusively and in an integrated manner, on
Delivering as One at country and regional levels, and the related areas of Harmonization of
Business Practices, Funding, Governance, and Gender Equality and the Empowerment of
Women.

The mandate review has proven to be a useful exercise and the progress achieved in recent
years on this issue should continue in areas to be determined in accordance with the priorities
of the General Assembly. In the long term, a more structured and effective mechanism should
periodically review all mandates in a systematic way. This will strengthen the Organization
and increase its efficiency and effectiveness for the benefit of all Member States.
Global Economy and Development Issues-MDGs
Turkey believes that sustainable development is one of the greatest global challenges today.
The wide-ranging implications of climate change, energy and food crises, as well as the
economic and financial crises have made sustainable development even more pertinent for the
United Nations system and its membership, especially with a view to achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The United Nations should make every effort to
address all aspects of sustainable development in terms of both policy options and
implementation. Focusing on constraints and obstacles in implementation which delay or
hinder the timely achievement of the MDGs is essential in these efforts. Follow-up of
commitments is also crucial.

On the other hand, to address the latest crisis on a global scale, Turkey believes that the
international community has to take charge proactively and collaborate efficiently. This is
crucial to render the individual responses of the countries more effective and to avoid creating
adverse effects involuntarily. The credible exit strategies should also be an integral part of the
temporary measures taken in response to the extraordinary economic developments.

In this framework, Turkey attaches great significance to the G-20 platform which reflects the
global economic realities. It is an important platform providing a good avenue to find
solutions to the current crisis and to coordinate responses at highest level.

We are fully aware that we have already passed the halfway point to the target date of 2015
for achieving the MDGs. Yet, this is also the most opportune time to take stock of our shared
attempts as well as to identify our shortcomings. Our global performance report so far is a
mixed one. While we have certainly made considerable progress in this direction, we are
seriously off-track on some of the Goals. Some regions of the developing and the least
developed countries alike are further behind than others. Unfortunately, the global financial
and economic crises have added to the existing negative impacts of climate change, energy
crisis and food crisis, and have aggravated the vulnerability of these countries. The progress
achieved at great costs in economic development and poverty eradication is under threat. This
must, by all means, be prevented. We believe that the UN system and the international
community are capable of overcoming these challenges.

Achieving the MDGs requires a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach. Their cross-
cutting nature requires integrated approach and concerted action across many fora in, inter
alia, the United Nations. Therefore, we must ensure that those issues are duly included in all
relevant policy debates and planning studies about the MDGs in a coherent fashion. To
achieve the MDGs on time, we need concerted actions and efforts in which developed and
developing countries, governments as well as private sector join their respective forces
together. Cooperation and interaction between the United Nations, Bretton Woods
Institutions, the WTO, G-20 and other international financial institutions should also be
strengthened in order to address cross-cutting issues of sustainable development, such as
foreign aid, trade, financial stability, know-how and technology and development policy.

In the period ahead, we need to continue our efforts to address the problems of the developing
world on their path to sustainable development. These countries will need to be supported
within the framework of a renewed global development agenda and through increased foreign
investments and enhanced trade facilities.
A “one-size fits all” approach should be avoided and development cooperation should be
responsive to the specific needs, priorities and conditions of each country. Development
cooperation should be demand-driven and pursued on the basis of national strategies and
plans of developing countries. Projects and activities which focus on democratic governance,
poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, information and communication technologies,
environment and sustainable development are of particular importance.

For our part, we are trying to contribute to these endeavours, first and foremost through
increased development assistance. Turkey, as a net donor country, is actively supporting and
participating in the international efforts for the eradication of poverty. In this regard, we
consider Official Development Assistance (ODA) as one of the main tools in reinforcing your
efforts to achieve the Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including the MDGs on
time.

As a complement to the calls for increased ODA from the major and emerging donors, the aid
recipients should strive to address the concerns of the donors vis-à-vis aid effectiveness,
transparency and good governance.

Turkey wishes to put on record that the ODA offered by Turkey has been steadily increasing
over the recent years. Initially, our contributions have rather focused on our immediate
vicinity. But in time and parallel to our efforts to further deepen our relations with the LDCs,
the share of the African and Asian countries in Turkey’s total foreign assistance has been on a
steady increase. In 2008, Turkey provided a total of USD 779 million as ODA, not including
the aid efforts of the Turkish private sector.
Humanitarian Assistance
In today’s world, human vulnerability in natural disasters and other emergencies has become
a major concern. The last decade has been marked by disasters with greater levels of loss of
life, property and material damage, particularly in the Least Developed Countries.

The UN has a leading role in the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance. For
this reason, the UN’s capacity to address humanitarian issues should be enhanced in all forms
and dimensions through the efforts of the entire membership.

In order to ensure the effective functioning of humanitarian assistance institutions as well as

the relevant NGOs and to avoid any hindrance or conflict in the post-disaster period, the
necessary legal ground should be completed. Post-disaster assistance should not only be
confined to economic aid, but also include various forms of social and psychological support.

Located in a disaster-prone geography, Turkey has a strong tradition of responding to those in

need. Learning from its own experience, Turkey is a strong advocate of international
solidarity and partnership to build a safer world, to save human lives and to protect our
environment.

With these thoughts in mind, Turkish humanitarian assistance has diversified and increased in
recent years. While providing humanitarian aid, Turkey has always given priority to close
multilateral cooperation, especially with the UN Specialized Agencies. In this regard, Turkey
is proud to be referred to as one of the significant donors in the efforts to overcome the acute
food crisis in Africa by the World Food Program.

As an ‘‘emerging donor country’’, Turkey has been among the contributors to the ‘‘Central
Emergency Response Fund’’ which is the main instrument of the UN in delivering
humanitarian assistance. Turkish contributions to the Fund amounted to 1.1 million since its
establishment in 2005.

Despite the global financial crisis, humanitarian assistance remains one of the priorities of
Turkish foreign policy. In this regard, Turkey’s humanitarian assistance to various countries
in 2008 amounted to 10 million Dollars.
More Effective Conflict Prevention, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Securing and maintaining peace is still the most demanding and difficult task for the
international community. Preventive diplomacy undoubtedly constitutes the major pillar in
conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding and the UN continues to have the
primary role in that regard.

UN Peacekeeping Missions have now evolved and expanded into an integrated system
comprising many elements. The Organization should be able to take action against today’s
challenging peacekeeping requirements, including the need to respond rapidly and decisively
in times of crisis and to address long-term perspectives. Crisis situations are usually complex
and cannot be resolved by military means alone. Therefore, resource and force generation,
rapid deployment capability, personnel safety and security, protection of civilians, post-
conflict peacebuilding and development, cooperation with regional organizations, such as the
African Union and the EU, as well as an enhanced partnership among all the stakeholders of
the UN peacekeeping process, in particular between the Security Council, the Secretariat and
the Troop/Police Contributing Countries, are among the key issues calling for further attention
from the Member States. In this regard, Turkey supports all efforts and initiatives aimed at
strengthening the UN peacekeeping mechanism to overcome the challenges it faces.

Post-conflict peacebuilding is also an area of vital importance for the UN and there is ample
room for improving the UN’s response to post-conflict situations. In such cases, the entire UN
system must be enabled to act in unison towards a single set of objectives and to deliver as
one. Turkey supports UNSG’s recent recommendations in this regard.

Successful outcomes would be more likely if security considerations and needs are addressed
at a very early stage in post-conflict situations. The military dimension should focus on
rapidly establishing a safe and secure environment in order to facilitate the realization of non-
military inputs. Disarmament, demobilization and re-integration of the armed elements in the
post-conflict countries are also crucial in maintaining peace and solidifying national
institutions. Failure in building national security institutions is likely to ultimately result in the
breakdown of the peacekeeping operation. This highlights the importance of the security
sector reform process and the leading role of the United Nations in supporting national
authorities engaged in such processes.

Bearing this fact in mind, Turkey believes that the strategy to build peace ought to be
developed as early as possible; should cover all aspects of the requirements of the post-
conflict situation, has to be based on the common vision of both national and international
partners, and enjoy the necessary financial resources and technical expertise. This is why
Turkey welcomes the five-point agenda set out by the UNSG to facilitate an earlier and more
coherent response from the international community.

In this vein, the “Peacebuilding Support Office” and the “Peacebuilding Fund” play a crucial
role. The success of the Peace Building Commission is very much dependent on the provision
of adequate financial funds to the Peacebuilding Fund. The Fund should be able to ensure
immediate release of resources needed to launch peacebuilding activities, particularly in the
African Continent. Recognizing the importance of the Peace Building Commission, Turkey
contributed 1.000.000 US Dollars to its Trust Fund.

As a dedicated troop and police contributing country, Turkey has a keen interest in
strengthening the viability, sustainability and effectiveness of UN’s peace efforts, and will
continue to uphold its commitment to this end. As of August 2009, Turkey is ranking among
the peacekeeping contributor countries is 32 with a total of 545 personnel. Turkey attaches
particular importance to the civilian police component of UN missions. Turkey is at the
moment the fifteenth largest police contributor with 177 police officers, serving in eight
different missions.
Combating Terrorism
Terrorism is a clear and present danger for the entire world. This global threat aims at the
destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy. It is a crime against
humanity, regardless of source, pretext or ambition.

Terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, should be condemned unreservedly. Terrorists
should be brought to justice; the obligation “to either extradite or prosecute” is of the utmost
significance to this end.

A unified, decisive and coordinated response is needed at national, regional and international
levels. The success of the combat against terrorism depends on unwavering compliance with
all the relevant international conventions as well as all UN General Assembly and Security
Council Resolutions. Turkey fully adheres to all these Resolutions.

Turkey has been actively contributing to the work of the Security Council Committees
established pursuant to Resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001) as a Member of these
Committees as of January 1, 2009. These contributions will continue with a view to
underlining the implementation of the relevant UN documents and increasing international
cooperation in this regard, especially with Turkey’s assumption of the Chairmanship of the
Counter-Terrorism Committee as of January 1, 2010.

Having always emphasized the importance of international solidarity and cooperation in

combating terrorism, Turkey welcomed the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2006. The review meetings of
the Strategy enable member states to assess the progress made in the implementation of the
Strategy since its adoption. Turkey calls upon all stakeholders to translate the provisions of
the Strategy into practical action.

Turkey welcomes the entry into force of International Convention for the Suppression of Acts
of Nuclear Terrorism. Turkey has signed the Convention and its ratification process is
underway.

The conclusion of deliberations on the “Comprehensive Convention on International

Terrorism” is also of great importance to convey the resolve of the international community in
its collective stance against this grave threat. As a party to nearly all international conventions
and protocols in countering terrorism, Turkey is determined to continue to facilitate and
expedite the conclusion of this Convention, including a comprehensive legal definition of
terrorism.

The scope of terrorism has reached such proportions that it requires the active engagement of
the military and security forces, making them primary targets for terrorists. Therefore, any
definition which omits terrorist acts perpetrated against military and security forces would be
incomplete. A clear message must be given that there are neither justifiable grounds for
terrorism nor legitimate targets for terrorists.
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
The international security environment poses new challenges to disarmament and non-
proliferation. Terrorists and non-state actors in pursuit to acquire weapons of mass destruction
(WMD), states in non-compliance with non-proliferation and disarmament obligations and
delays in the fulfillment of nuclear disarmament engagements and obligations challenge the
delicate balance which has been established over the recent decades with the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty at its core.

The international community needs to build a strong consensus on measures to counter these
challenges. Turkey positively notes the renewed readiness demonstrated by the two key
nuclear weapon states to engage in bilateral negotiations and the change in the global
atmosphere in multilateral arms control negotiations. Our ability to respond effectively to the
most pressing threats to international peace and security depends heavily on how we make
best use of multilateral fora, particularly the United Nations. United Nations should be able to
address and respond to those challenges and play a more active role to uphold the existing
international arms control and disarmament regimes and, when necessary, enhance their
effectiveness by appropriate means.

Located in a region of particular concern with respect to WMD proliferation, Turkey monitors
with vigilance the developments in this field and takes an active part in collective efforts
aimed at devising measures to reverse this alarming trend.

Turkey's security policy rules out the production and use of all kinds of WMD. We advocate
global, overall disarmament and support all efforts in the field of sustaining international
security through multilateral arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament. Turkey
attaches great importance to the development of internationally recognized WMD free zones,
including in the Middle East. Turkey is a party to all international non-proliferation
instruments and export control regimes and works towards their universalization, effective
implementation and further strengthening.
Combating Illegal Migration
The fundamental cause of illegal migration is poverty and underdevelopment. Therefore
development and aid are inseparably interlinked with illegal migration. The UN is a
particularly suitable platform to address the problems and opportunities created by this global
phenomenon. The Millennium Development Goals and the outcome of the UN General
Assembly High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development are of crucial importance in
addressing these issues.

In dealing with illegal migration, the focus should be on opening channels for legal/regulated
migration in addition to the measures for security concerns. A comprehensive approach
should be adopted by bringing together a broad spectrum of policies, which have a direct and
indirect effect on employment, development, integration, health, social matters, education,
human rights, peace, justice, security and others thus addressing the root causes of the
problem.

Such measures should be coupled with efforts to assure respect for migrants’ rights and more
attention should be paid to the problems facing legally residing migrants in foreign countries.
The Convention and the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers
and Members of Their Families are important instruments in protecting and promoting the
rights of migrant workers.

The complex phenomenon of illegal migration requires shared responsibility, international

solidarity and burden sharing.
Combating Illegal Drug Trafficking
The fight against illicit trafficking of drugs can only be addressed by extensive cooperation,
exchange of information and expertise within the international community. The UN
constitutes an ideal platform for these endeavors.

The UN should further strengthen its efforts aimed at providing assistance to the countries
most affected by the illegal production and trafficking of illicit drugs, through the
implementation of projects on enhancing law enforcement capabilities, promotion of
regional initiatives and the provision of alternative livelihood programs.

The problem of supply and demand should be addressed at the same time while effective
reduction strategies are developed and implemented.

As a leading country in the fight against the illicit trafficking of drugs, Turkey is ready and
willing to provide every assistance to international efforts. The Turkish International
Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC), serves as a good example of
Turkey's efforts for regional and international cooperation in the combat against this menace.
More than 1600 law enforcement personnel from 57 countries from Central Asia, Black Sea
Region, the Balkans, Caucasus, and Africa have already received training at TADOC.
Human Rights
Today, observance of contemporary standards pertaining to human rights, democracy and
the rule of law has indeed become a fundamental criterion for the respectable members of the
international community.

The promotion and protection of human rights has always been one of the main pillars of the
UN system since its inception. This cause also serves international peace and security, which
are the fundamental goals enshrined in the UN Charter.

The underlying need for cooperation at the international level stems from the fact that no
country is flawless in terms of human rights. The UN human rights system provides for a
desired cooperation platform of global scale to serve the common goal of advancing norms,
principles and standards on human rights to the benefit of all members of the international
community.

Striving to achieve this ultimate aim requires a collective endeavor. It is for the benefit of all
that cooperation reigns over confrontation in the UN human rights system. Promotion and
protection of human rights can best be achieved through cooperation in a spirit of solidarity
and mutual understanding rather than confrontation and polarization among countries.

Efforts for an overall improvement in the situation of human rights around the world,
facilitating the work of civil society, combating torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment, countering violence against women, eliminating all forms of
intolerance and discrimination, advancing rights of migrant workers and their families and the
issue of terrorism and human rights deserve particular attention.

Efforts for better integration of the human rights dimension into the UN system should also be
supported. For the past 50 years, the focus in the UN has been mainly on articulating,
codifying and enshrining fundamental rights and freedoms. With the advent of the new
Human Rights Council (HRC), the cause of human rights in the UN system has ushered into a
new era. It is essential that the functioning of the HRC is based on dialogue and cooperation
while avoiding confrontation. The Council contributes to build a credible culture of dialogue
and cooperation to strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights. The Council
aims to be responsive to developments on the ground. Non-member states of the HRC can
also play a conciliatory and constructive role in the work of the HRC. The newly created
“Universal Periodic Review” has so far proven to be a cooperative mechanism which enables
sharing of best practices and providing technical assistance and capacity building.

Cooperation with the special mechanisms is of particular importance. Such bodies with
thematic mandates must continue their valuable work by focusing on a broad range of
countries in a balanced manner.

Standard setting and standard-development constitute complementary means to address gaps

in the legal instruments of the UN human rights system. Special attention needs to be given to
issues such as xenophobia and prevention of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred.

As marked by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, respect for human rights is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Over the years a whole network of
human rights instruments and mechanisms has been developed to ensure the primacy of
human rights in the international community under the UN system.

Given the fact that the UN is the only global organization that yet reflects diverse
constituencies and priorities, the principles of universality, objectivity, impartiality and non-
selectivity should guide its works. In order to avoid polarization of views which could cause
undesired ramifications on the credibility of the whole UN human rights system, it is
important to abstain from maximalist approaches while targeting to reach the widest possible
consensus on human rights issues.

Such an inclusive approach will definitely further strengthen the role of UN as a global
body where the members of the international community can envision the outside world
through the same perspectives by embracing common goals and values for the promotion
and protection of human rights. In this regard, responsibility lies with each and every member
of the UN and no efforts should be spared in this noble cause.

In fact, the need for a genuine dialogue among different cultures continues to appear high on
the agenda of the international community. Such dialogue can be attained better on the basis
of respect and understanding among various cultures, which are represented under the
common roof of the universal UN human rights system.
Environmental Issues and Climate Change

In our times, ecological and environmental issues have global significance. Environmental
issues such as, climate change, biodiversity, desertification, and environmental degradation
are common concerns for humankind.

The essential balance between environmental concerns and development requirements should
be maintained. Eradicating poverty for sustained development must be addressed in
conjunction with a healthy planet.

Unfortunately, uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources such as forests, land, water

resources, and fish stocks has caused alarming changes in our natural world in recent decades,
often endangering the poor and the most vulnerable in the world who depend on natural
resources for their lives and livelihood.

The world community under the lead of United Nations has made important progress
concerning environmental protection and management. The MDGs recognize that
environmental sustainability is part of global economic and social well-being. Environmental
policies of both developed and developing countries were reshaped at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002. However, there is still much to do.
We have to accelerate progress towards the MDGs and to strengthen the global partnership.
Our common future at the global level depends essentially on the concrete measures and
actions we have to carry out at the national and regional levels. It is only through such
concerted action that we can protect the environment. All countries must carry out more
intensive efforts to tackle with global environmental challenges, with the developed countries
taking the lead.

Climate change as a result of global warming is one of the greatest threats that has severe
implications for the entire world, but more so, on the developing countries. This problem may
even reverse progress towards achieving the MDGs. In this sense, climate change is a
development, not just an environmental, challenge.

In this context, the concerns of some small island developing states that climate change poses
a serious threat on their existence are justified.

Climate change issue calls for the widest possible cooperation by all countries and their
participation in an effective and appropriate international response, in accordance with their
common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and their national social
and economic conditions. Industrialized developed countries should have the main
responsibility in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof.

2009 is a critical year in terms of action. Negotiations continue on a successor agreement to

the Kyoto Protocol which establishes legally binding emission reduction targets. The first
commitment period of the Protocol expires by the end of 2012. The Conference of States
Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in December this
year in Copenhagen will be aiming at achieving measures to limit the green house gas
emissions in future. It is clear that mobilizing sufficient financing to address climate change
mitigation and adaptation is a key concern. It will be critical to ensure that climate change
financing contributes to development objectives. The outcome of Copenhagen should be a
ratifiable one for all Parties. Therefore, a strong message to policy makers and all
stakeholders must be sent.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides a solid ground for
comprehensive consideration and coordinated action within the United Nations system on the
problems of environment. Major international agreements and conventions covering a wide
range of environmental issues such as climate change, biological diversity, combating
desertification, control of movements of hazardous wastes, ozone layer, illegal trade in
endangered species, have been elaborated and implemented under UNEP’s auspices. UNEP’s
“The Green New Deal” initiative gives us a lot of food for thought, reminding us that we must
continue to work on cross-cutting issues of energy security, climate change, and sustainable
development.

Despite all of its accomplishments, the UN’s environmental activities and the system of
environmental governance need to be further strengthened. Coordination among the relevant
UN agencies in the field of environment must be better defined.

It is incumbent on us that we all take necessary measures according to the priority fields of
action, such as sustainable management of natural resources (soil, water, natural areas and
coastal zones), integrated pollution control, prevention and management of wastes, use of
renewable energy, improvement of urban environment, contribution to the small and medium
sized enterprises, improvement of health and safety.
Gender Issues
Women around the world play a determining role in social progress, economic growth and
development. Empowerment of women has a dramatic impact on the well-being of the family
and society. The development of their skills and competences is closely linked to their full
and active participation in every sphere of public life. Therefore, gender equality stands out as
a prerequisite to achieving all the Millennium Development Goals.

Indeed, as reaffirmed by the international community at the World Summit in 2005, the full
and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted
during the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 is considered
essential for attaining and upholding the Millennium Development Goals.

At the Millennium Summit, Member States have also agreed to combat all forms of violence
against women and to implement the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which the majority of Member States
are party. The Convention is an important international instrument for promoting the status of
women worldwide. An increasing number of Member States should consider ratifying the
Optional Protocol to the Convention if the issue of women’s rights is to be addressed more
comprehensively at the international level.

Taking into account that gender issues occupy a prominent place on the agenda of the United
Nations, the Organization should be more coherent, better coordinated and better resourced in
addressing these questions. This approach should be first and foremost reflected in the
organizational structures of the UN. The establishment of this new gender equality entity to
replace the UN’s current cumbersome structures should be given priority.

Commitment to gender equality should remain an area of focus for the entire UN system. As
gender equality and women’s empowerment are important cross-cutting matters, they need to
be addressed in a fully integrated manner.

As a country that recognized the rights of women in every walk of life, Turkey strongly
supports all efforts towards the further advancement of women’s rights. The recent
establishment of a parliamentary commission on equal opportunities for women and men at
the Turkish Grand National Assembly aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of
Article 10 of the Turkish Constitution which enshrines the principle of gender equality is the
latest testament to this fact.

Violence against women:

Violence against women has been on the agenda of the General Assembly since 2000 and
numerous resolutions were adopted in this regard. The 63rd General Assembly further
emphasized this dimension by urging Member States to intensify their efforts to eliminate all
forms of violence against women with the adoption of Resolution 63/155, and with its call to
the Member States in taking all necessary measures to prevent trafficking in women and girls,
by Resolution 63/156.

Turkey strongly supported these resolutions. We believe that violence against women not only
constitutes a gross violation of human rights but also has enormous social and economic costs,
and undercuts the contribution of women to development, peace and security. It also poses a
serious threat to the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the
Millennium Development Goals. Thus, we are pleased that the relevant resolutions were
adopted by consensus at the 63rd General Assembly.

Turkey also strongly supported the campaign, “Unite to End Violence against Women”,
launched in February 2008, by the UN Secretary-General.

We believe that the General Assembly should continue to consider the question of violence
against women annually and that the Security Council should establish a dedicated monitoring
mechanism to fully realize the provisions of resolution 1325(2000) and 1820(2008) on
women, peace and security. Greater priority should also be given in United Nations
operational activities at the country level to tackling violence against women, including in
humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping missions.
Alliance of Civilizations
The events of recent years have shown that the international community has come under
considerable strain because of polarization, discrimination and prejudice. This is a matter of
great concern for international peace and security. A comprehensive and collective effort is
therefore needed in order to counter such a trend.

This requires a meaningful and operational dialogue, involving active and concrete steps to
eliminate extremism, cross-cultural prejudices and misunderstandings among societies. The
Alliance of Civilizations initiative, co-sponsored by the Prime Ministers of Spain and
Turkey, aims at facilitating harmony and dialogue by highlighting the common denominator
of different cultures and religions and at establishing a paradigm of mutual respect among
societies.

The Madrid Forum of 2008, and the Istanbul Forum of 2009 were defining moments in the
life and work of the Alliance. They powerfully illustrated the distinctive features of the
initiative: its operational nature, the presence and active involvement of a very large number
of countries and international organizations and the wide acceptance of the need for
innovative and practical responses to the challenges it has been mandated to address. The next
Forum, which will be held in Brazil in May 2010 will bring a further impetus to the work of
the Alliance.

The Alliance proved to be an inclusive, multi-stakeholders’ platform for dialogue and result-
oriented action. It has become a sustainable UN platform; the number of countries and
international organizations represented in the Group of Friends within the UN has grown to
103.

The globalized world of today, with its high level of interdependence, requires societies to
understand one another in greater depth than ever before. Consequently, employing cross-
cultural skills that facilitate mutual understanding among societies has become a key
condition for peaceful relations in the 21st century. Societies with multi-cultural experiences
are particularly well-placed to contribute to this objective.
Cyprus

Turkey fully supports the vision of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to find
a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus until the end of 2009, under the good-offices mission
of the UN Secretary-General, in the form of a new Partnership with two Constituent States of
equal status and on the basis of the well-established UN parameters such as bi-zonality and
political equality as agreed upon by the two leaders in their Joint Communiqué of 23 May
2008.

The 1960 Guarantee system shall remain in place within the framework of the settlement. The
legal security and certainty of the new state of affairs by making it a source of EU primary
law is crucial.

Since the start of the substantive negotiations to reach a comprehensive solution, the two
leaders met over 40 times. In the first phase of the talks they have discussed issues under 6
main chapters and established the points of convergence as well as divergence. In the second
phase of the talks which started on 10 September 2009 the two leaders and their advisors will
endeavor to bridge the differences on these chapters.

While wholeheartedly supporting the process, Turkey is of the view that both sides should
remain unswervingly committed to the goal of a comprehensive settlement and stand ready to
take the necessary steps in this direction. The constructive and resolute attitude displayed by
the Turkish Cypriot leadership towards this end is thus most welcome. Turkey hopes that this
positive stance will be reciprocated by the Greek Cypriot side too. Furthermore, Turkey
expects the international community to do more to encourage the Greek Cypriot side towards
a negotiated settlement, since a just and lasting settlement will bring peace and stability not
only to both peoples of the island but also to the region as a whole.

The Turkish side believes that speeding up the process constitutes an urgent need for its
success. Within this framework, the Turkish side believes that a more active role for the UN
will be crucial for the successful and early completion of the talks.

The Turkish Cypriots accepted the UN Comprehensive Settlement Plan in 2004 despite many
sacrifices it entailed. However, the unjust isolations imposed upon them still continue. In that
regard, Turkey believes that the UN Security Council should heed the call made by the UN
Secretary-General in his Report of 28 May 2004 towards putting an end to the unjust isolation
of the Turkish Cypriots.

Turkey will actively pursue its endeavors to find a just and durable solution to the Cyprus
issue and trusts that the UN Secretary General will accord high priority to this issue in the
period ahead.