GUL WARNS EUROPEAN LEADERS OVER THEIR ROLE IN EXTREMISM
Today’s Zaman
Sept 8 2011
Turkey
President Abdullah Gul delivered a speech at the third Global Policy
Forum held in the central Russian city of Yaroslavl on Thursday.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul has called on European leaders to stick
to values such as democracy, the rule of law and respect for human
rights, which originated from the continent of Europe, as he warned
that populist tendencies among European leaders towards migration
triggered the radicalization of immigrant societies.
Delivering a speech at the third Global Policy Forum held in the
central Russian city of Yaroslavl, Gul said the values of democracy,
the rule of law and respect for human rights, although having
originated in Europe, had a global impact.
“The Arab Spring that began with the demand of the people for
democratic transformation is the latest manifestation of this impact.
One expects a decline in discriminatory treatment as the world
experiences these developments and the emergence of a common cultural
understanding for mankind, but we unfortunately continue to witness
the strengthening of extremist views that consider differences as a
reason for conflict in various parts of the world,” Gul said at the
forum, to which he had been invited as guest of honor. The forum was
held under the auspices of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. This
year’s forum, titled “The Modern State in the Age of Social Diversity,”
focused on issues democracies face in the present-day social diversity
such as the correlation of economic efficiency and social equality,
the balance between innovation and tradition, maintaining global
security and personal freedoms.
“The existence of these movements on the European continent, which
presented the world with the notions of democracy and the modern
state, is food for thought. Racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia that
fester contemporaneously with the economic crisis affecting Europe
give rise to serious concern. Parties that point at migrants as the
source of problems such as security, crime, poverty and other social
difficulties gain more votes.
The reaction by governments and main political parties that introduce
stricter measures on migration in order to counter this fear by the
people is also worrying. Rising intolerance and discrimination becomes
a trigger for radicalization,” Gul said.
The July 22 terrorist attacks in which a right-wing extremist killed
77 people and rocked the foundations of Norway’s democratic society,
which places high value on openness and civil rights, was one example
used by Gul to better explain his point.
“This atrocious attack shows that terrorism and extremism are not
confined to a specific religion or region and clearly shows that
extreme right-wing ideologies that gain greater support in Europe
constitute a serious security risk. I am sorry to say that whenever we
have expressed our concerns with regard to right-leaning movements to
our counterparts in the past, we observed that they turned a blind eye
to this matter due to domestic political reasons. This is also because
it requires a greater effort to treat and overcome recurring ailments
such as racism and xenophobia in the West than to address the problems
in the East, which are mostly due to underdevelopment,” Gul said.
Underlining the slowdown in the European economy due to an aging
population, Gul argued that Europe needs some migration in order to
revitalize the economy and provide for sustainable prosperity.
“It is therefore necessary to embrace differences and shun
discrimination. Furthermore, inclusiveness is a sine qua non for
a democratic society. These differences should not be considered
reason for exclusion, disregard or cultural divisions, but should,
on the contrary, be considered a sign of democratic wealth. Courage
to question racist and xenophobic tendencies and to engage in
self-criticism must be shown. The main goal must remain the elevation
of the basic threshold for tolerance. In my opinion, this is the main
requirement for becoming a modern state,” Gul stated.
Ahead of his one-day trip to Turkey’s Black Sea neighbor, Gul,
in remarks delivered to Russian media, reiterated his country’s
position with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan.
“The importance of the South Caucasus, as a region neighboring Turkey
and Russia, is obvious. We are guided by the strategy aimed at the
establishment of peace, stability and welfare in the region; we are
also trying to achieve peace, security and cooperation here,” Gul was
quoted as saying in remarks published on Thursday in the Moskovskiy
Komsomolets newspaper.
“I suppose that the position of Turkey regarding this issue coincides
with Russia’s standpoint. The progress to be achieved on this way will
undoubtedly have [a] positive influence on Turkish-Armenian relations,”
Gul also said.
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Full text of Gul’s speech is as follows:
My Dear Friend President Medvedev,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Academics,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to address this distinguished forum
organized for the third time this year. The Forum has significantly
contributed to the global intellectual and political debate in such
a short period of time.
First of all, I would like to pay tribute to the distinguished
statesman President Medvedev who has played a leading role in the
establishment of the Yaroslavl Forum around the theme of the “modern
state” and express my thanks to all those involved in organizing
this event.
I do believe that this forum is a very instrumental platform in
discussing these important issues.
I also would like to take this opportunity to express my pleasure for
being in the city of Yaroslavl which hosts important world cultural
heritage with a history spanning a thousand years.
Distinguished Participants,
I am aware that the notion of the modern state and its interpretation
in current affairs were discussed in the previous two Fora.
Therefore, I do not wish to focus on the descriptive and theoretical
framework in great detail.
The task of explaining social phenomena subject to the “creative
destruction” of globalization as described by Schumpeter has grown
increasingly more challenging.
Therefore, it is rather difficult to examine these notions by using the
analyses of Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Weber or Habermas although
they shed light on one or the other aspect of the modern state and
social diversity.
Globalization has presented the international community with many
issues and dilemmas both from the point of view of the functions of
the modern state as well as the elements of social coherence.
In this context;
Finding solutions for many dilemmas such as;
-“broadening individual rights and freedoms vs. security”,
-“national sovereignty vs. international legitimacy”,
-“freedom of enterprise vs. regulations”,
-“individual benefit vs. social cost”,
-“economic growth vs. fair distribution”,
-“national interest vs. global responsibility”,
-“economic development vs. sustainable environment”,
-“multiculturalism vs. social integration and cohesion”
plays a determining role in how the characteristics of the modern
state is built.
As we all know, the state, in the past, functioned as an institution
that valued its security and sustainability above all else and
considered the society living in its borders as a tool that had to
be organized in order to achieve these aims.
There are still some regimes that interpret state mechanisms in this
way and consider the security of the state to be above all fundamental
rights and freedoms of their people.
However, there has been a transition from the idea of the society
and people serving the state; to the idea of the state serving its
society and people. The era where fear and oppression were used to
govern people has come to an end.
A new understanding which defines the sole purpose of the state as
meeting the legitimate desires, demands and expectations of the people
has emerged.
This is the underlying concept of the modern state. This understanding
focuses on the human being in his individual and social capacity as
the main pillar and aims to broaden freedoms as it tries to balance
security against freedoms.
In the same way, acting in a truly democratic system that respects
equality, plurality and participation is also one of the main
characteristics and requirements for a modern state.
As such, the modern state is the best mechanism that mankind has
established in order to render social justice, peace and prosperity
sustainable while preventing injustice, violence, atrocities and the
oppression of the weak by the strong.
Obviously, the modern state did not emerge overnight and through a
single piece of legislation. The process began when the line between
the rights and responsibilities of the society — in other words,
of those who are “represented”– and the state — of those who are
“representing” — were drawn.
In this context, the mechanism which we call the modern state is a
dynamic phenomenon that is ever changing because globalization has
the effect of continually changing the political, economic and social
chemistry of societies.
Therefore, society demands that the state adapt itself to these
changes. The main purpose of the state is to fulfill this expectation
on the part of its society.
Our responsibility as politicians and statesmen today is to remove
barriers before this process and help it move more quickly.
In the final analysis, the modern state in my opinion is:
-“a democratic state” that is based on the principle of the rule
of law.
-“a freedom state” that provides security and stability without
sacrificing fundamental human rights and freedoms.
-“a social state” that achieves economic growth without neglecting
fair distribution.
-“a virtuous state” which is cognizant of its responsibility to
mankind even as it pursues its national interests.
-“a responsible state” that is aware of its accountability to future
generations in all areas including the environment in the context of
its economic development policies.
-“a regulatory state” which minimizes social costs while paving the
way for greater individual entrepreneurship.
-a state that not only “holds to account”, but is also “held
accountable”.
-“a compassionate and tolerant state” which embraces all its people
and considers differences as a source of richness.
One cannot speak of a single specific model that would be applicable
to all countries. What I have stated above constitutes, in my opinion,
the basic framework of what needs to be taken as a basis in different
countries and structures to realize a modern state.
Increasing the number of states that respect these points of reference
will constitute an assurance for sustainable international peace.
Distinguished Guests,
Having expressed my views about the modern state in this way,
allow me now to share with you my thoughts about social diversity
and multiculturalism.
If we were to coin a term to describe the age we live in, social
diversity would be one of the aspects which would come to mind.
This is a process intertwined with increased social mobility and
greater migration movements due to various reasons in a globalized
world. The resulting cultural, religious and ethnic differences in
societies may be a source of new divisions and tensions.
Matters become more complicated because such differences are considered
to be the root causes of difficulties experienced in societies which
are especially vulnerable socio-economically.
One of the main issues facing the modern state today is to build the
capacity to manage this diversity and plurality.
In this framework, it is important that the state provides equal
constitutional rights and assurances to all of its citizens without
discriminating them based on language, religion and race; and
establishes a fair system of income distribution and equal opportunity.
It is of utmost importance that the guiding and supervising role
of the state is used to prevent exploitation and inequality while
ensuring equal participation of all parts of society in the system.
In the same way, accepting cultural, religious and ethnic differences
as a richness rather than a weakness for society should also be one
of the characteristics of the modern state.
In this context, it is important to adopt an inclusive political
language that embraces these differences; use the means of the state to
achieve this aim; and ensure equality before the law for individuals.
In addition, leaders who can manifest the necessary will and vision to
guide state mechanisms towards this end is instrumental in achieving
this goal.
Distinguished Guests,
Turkey as the cradle of civilizations and home to multi-religious,
multiethnic and multicultural empires for centuries embodies vast
experience in social diversity.
In fact, the effort for modernization based on plurality and democracy
that began 200 years ago for the Turkish people has gained greater
momentum and impact in the last 10 years through deep-rooted reforms
in the political and economic area.
The main purpose of these reforms has been to raise the living
standards of our people and to promote social cohesion.
Through the work that has been done, the channels for public
dialogue between the “state which represents” and the “people who
are represented” were broadened and the state provided for security
by ensuring peace and prosperity for its people.
First of all, we were able to cover great distance in overcoming
income disparity by controlling chronic inflation and ending spiraling
interest rates through the reforms we implemented in the aftermath
of the economic crisis in the beginning of the 2000s. We ensured that
all parts of society benefited from economic growth.
We also created greater efficiency in the market economy. The economy
was built to withstand strong internal and external shocks.
In this process, we removed barriers to free enterprise and
investments and established strong rules to ensure a sound and
transparent functioning of the market. As a result, Turkey is one of
the few countries in the world that was affected at a minimum by the
2008 global economic crisis which had a very strong impact on many
developed countries.
In the political field, we strengthened the institutions that
ensure democracy, transparency, the rule of law, human rights and the
protection of minorities through the reforms we carried out. We covered
great distance in terms of complying with pluralistic democratic norms.
The simultaneous nature of these reforms in the political and economic
area had a multiplier effect on each other.
In this framework, our democracy grew stronger through political and
legal reforms that broadened fundamental rights and freedoms. This
led to greater confidence in Turkey and growing investments created
a positive impact on our economy. Consequently, Turkey, today, is
the 16th largest economy in the world and the 6th largest economy
in Europe.
On the other hand, Turkey takes more confident steps in democratization
and towards becoming a modern state as a result of the economic
reforms that have led to greater financial means while taking on
important regional and global responsibilities. In this framework,
our country has emerged as a significant donor country by providing
development aid amounting to almost 2 billion dollars annually in
the name of humanity without expecting anything in return.
We are aware of the fact that there are still steps we need to take
in order to broaden the scope of our democracy, raise its standards
to a competent and mature level and increase democratic participation.
In fact, result of the elections in June 12 is a manifestation of
the social aspiration on all parts of society for a new constitution
based on freedoms that will carry Turkey into next centuries.
Experience has shown that the role and function of the state is
important to the extent it responds to the needs and expectations of
the people.
Distinguished Participants,
In parallel with Turkey’s rising political and economic power and
democratic standards, its ability to pursue a more active and effective
foreign policy in the international arena has grown.
We believe that developments in human rights and democracy will play
an important role in ensuring peace, development and social justice
and base our policies on this understanding.
We believe that the movements for change and democratic transformation
that began at the beginning of this year in North Africa and spread
rapidly to other countries in the Middle East are similar to the
revolutions in 1848 and 1989.
We are of the opinion that the region is on the brink of a historic
turning point towards transitioning to a democratic modern state model.
With this understanding, Turkey supports the legitimate demands of
the people for reform in the region and works to ensure that this
historic transformation which will resonate on a global scale is
translated into peace, stability, order and prosperity.
A brighter future for our world lies in the adoption of democracy as
the political project of modern civilization in more countries.
No doubt, one cannot speak of a single type of democracy that fits all
countries. However, respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms
as well as the rule of law are the main principles in order to become
a modern state that embraces democracy and social diversity.
We must remember that strong societies built on these principles will
be the safeguard for compassionate and effective modern states; and
effective modern states, in turn, will be the safeguard for a more
prosperous global order.
Democracy constitutes the strongest force vector in enabling a country
more powerful. The sustainability and international reputation of a
state are ensured when that state rises on the power of its people.
Distinguished Participants,
The values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights that
I speak of have originated in Europe, but had a global impact. The
Arab Spring that began with the demand of the people for democratic
transformation is the latest manifestation of this impact.
One expects a decline in discriminatory treatment as the world
experiences these developments and the emergence of a common cultural
understanding for mankind, but we unfortunately continue to witness
the strengthening of extremist views that consider differences as a
reason for conflict in various parts of the world.
The existence of these movements in the European continent which
presented the world with the notions of democracy and the modern
state is food for thought. Racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia that
fester contemporaneously with the economic crisis affecting Europe
give rise to serious concern.
Parties that point at migrants as the source of problems such as
security, crime, poverty and other social difficulties gain more votes.
The reaction by governments and main political parties that introduce
stricter measures on migration in order to counter this fear by the
people is also worrying. Rising intolerance and discrimination becomes
a trigger for radicalization.
The emerging divide between religious, racial and cultural communities
has begun to damage the social fabric of our societies. If this
tendency cannot be checked, our world will become a much more dangerous
place to live.
In this context, there is merit in carefully considering the attack
by a Norwegian citizen targeting Norwegian democracy which gets its
strength from multiculturalism.
This atrocious attack shows that terrorism and extremism are not
confined to a specific religion or geography and clearly shows that
extreme right wing ideologies that gain greater support in Europe
constitute a serious security risk.
I am sorry to say that whenever we have expressed our concerns with
regard to right-leaning movements to our counterparts in the past, we
observed that they turned a blind eye to this matter due to domestic
political reasons. This is also because it requires greater effort to
treat and overcome recurring ailments such as racism and xenophobia
in the West than address the problems in the East which are mostly
due to underdevelopment.
On the other hand, the economy in Europe continues to slow down as
a result of an aging population. As experts point out, Europe needs
some migration in order to revitalize the economy and provide for
sustainable prosperity.
In other words, Europe will need to house greater diversity in
the future.
Therefore, it is necessary to embrace differences and shun
discrimination. Furthermore, inclusiveness is a sine qua non for
a democratic society. These differences should not be considered
reason for exclusion, disregard or cultural divisions, but should,
on the contrary, be considered a sign of democratic wealth.
Courage to question racist and xenophobic tendencies and to engage
in self criticism must be shown. The main goal must remain to be the
elevation of the basic threshold for tolerance higher. In my opinion,
this is the main requirement for becoming a modern state.
Distinguished Participants,
I believe that these developments also point out to the need to develop
a new diplomatic and political language taking into consideration
multiculturalism and world peace.
This is because the current language of politics and diplomacy fails
to respond to the developments, problems and dilemmas of our age and,
at times, even serves to fuel conflict.
This language must be replaced with a new one that is constructive,
unifying, dynamic and tolerant.
I have been pointing out to the need for “a new language of diplomacy
and politics” for some time in Turkey and also in international
platforms, most recently in my address to the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly in January 2011. As I expressed in my address
at the Council of Europe, I am of the opinion that the character of
this diplomatic and political language will instrumental in defining
the outcome.
The language that we use may be constructive or destructive. As the
famous Turkish poet Yunus Emre says; “there is word that puts an end
to war just as there is word that puts an end to human life”.
Political actors, through the language they use, may either choose
to help build a common understanding or encourage divisions.
Therefore, it is important to adopt language that defends human
rights and respect for diversity in a convincing manner in order to
eliminate fears.
Today, many countries due to well-known historical and natural reasons
embody different elements in their society in terms of religion,
language, ethnic origin.
As a result, social diversity and multiculturalism are inherent
aspects of these countries and will remain so. Despite this reality,
there are leaders who present social diversity and multiculturalism
as undesirable policies that must be abandoned which, in itself,
points out to a dangerous process.
Given this reality, it would be against the tide of history and
anachronistic to imagine a society based on a single culture, ethnicity
and religion.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again invite all leaders
to use language that promotes social cohesion.
I also would like to remind you that there are numerous prominent
examples in history of countries where social and cultural diversity
existed in the context of national unity and cohesion.
On the other hand, countries that tried to eliminate social and
cultural diversity or attempted to suppress it due to various fears
first lost their human richness and eventually witnessed the erosion
of their economic and political power.
Distinguished Participants,
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to deliver this address in
Russia which constitutes a good example of social diversity where
different cultures have co-existed peacefully through its long
standing traditions.
The sincere efforts and leadership shown by my dear friend President
Medvedev in this regard both in Russia and in the international arena
encourages us and gives us hope for the future.
With thousands of years of state tradition and the experience and
heritage of great empires, Turkey and the Russian Federation are two
countries that are well-placed to make a meaningful contribution to
shaping the global order based on these parameters.
Every step that our countries which constitute the backbone of
Eurasia take in way of achieving social diversity and a modern state
shall bring us closer to the ideal of a more secure, peaceful and
prosperous world.
Thank you!
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