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Erdogan Pushes For Common Future With Balkan States

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  • Erdogan Pushes For Common Future With Balkan States

    ERDOGAN PUSHES FOR COMMON FUTURE WITH BALKAN STATES

    http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/09/28/feature-02
    28/09/2011

    Wrapping up his visit to New York, Erdogan sends a message of universal
    values and pushes for a common future with Balkan states.

    By Chase Winter for Southeast European Times in New York -- 28/09/11

    New York Balkan Forum underlines Turkish-Balkan ties. [Zlatko
    Kovac/SETimes]

    Speaking alongside leaders of the Balkan states at the New York
    Balkan Forum last week (September 22nd), Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan stressed the cultural and historical ties between Turkey and
    the Balkans, while calling on the region to overcome its troubled
    history to co-operate and integrate to form a common future.

    "In the future, the Balkans' most pressing need is to learn a lesson
    from its experience and start working towards prosperity, development,
    and peace," he said, adding that any problems experienced in the
    Balkans directly reflect on Turkey because of historical ties of
    brotherhood.

    However, the absence of Serbia and Greece at the forum due to the
    presence of Kosovo and Macedonia, respectively, was a clear reminder
    of a Balkans still divided.

    Intra-Balkan economic integration and investment were key themes,
    while Turkey's fast-growing economy and investments in the region
    provided the backdrop to the growing importance of Turkey.

    Describing the Balkans as "Turkey's door to the West", Confederation
    of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) President Rizanur Meral
    said Turkey has undergone an economic transformation since 2002, with
    the world's second fastest growing economy and a jump in exports from
    $35 billion to $135 billion.

    Balkan countries will need to expand markets due to the small size of
    domestic markets, Deputy Governor of Turkey's Central Bank Ihbrahim
    Turhan said, adding that countries like Turkey and Russia afford
    opportunities.

    According to Timothy Ash, the head of emerging markets research at RBS
    global banking, as Europe faces financial trouble Turkey can play a
    role as a driver for Balkan growth. However, he warned, Balkan states
    will have to do more to attract FDI as European financial resources
    run dry.

    As the largest investor in Kosovo, Turkey plays a unique role in the
    country due to a "common past, religion, geographic position and the
    big support we've got from the Turkish government" Kosovo Foreign
    Minister Enver Hoxhai explained.

    Pointing to the free trade agreement between Albania and Turkey,
    Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said that Turkish investment in
    Albania increased four fold between 2005 and 2010.

    Meanwhile, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov said that
    energy co-operation with Turkey, especially finalising Nabucco,
    are his country's top priority.

    "Connecting energy markets, making sure we have a southeast European
    energy market with a common strategy to make sure energy networks
    are connected," is one area Mladenov said the Balkan states could
    make tangible efforts at co-operation and integration.

    On the political front, Mladenov said working together to overcome the
    difficulties of the past is necessary for regional co-operation. "One
    of the very important examples over the past few years has been the
    role Turkey has played in pushing and helping countries strengthen
    their co-operation together, particularly Bosnia and Serbia," he said.

    All the states including Turkey said their future is within the
    EU and NATO, which will act as an anchor for regional co-operation
    and security.

    However, Erdogan highlighted that for a common future there needs
    to be more than economic growth and material gain: human rights,
    democracy, and the rule of law are also of equal importance.

    Speaking on Saturday (September 24th) at an event organised by the
    Turkish Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA),
    Erdogan said the age of autocratic regimes is over and that Turkey
    would act according to universal principles and the will of the people.

    By framing the Balkans as being the heart of Turkey and stressing
    universal rights, Erdogan tried to place ideology and principles to
    the forefront of his message.

    "Sarajevo's fate is Edirne's fate, Skopje's fate is Kosovo's fate,
    Palestine's fate is Istanbul's fate, in that case the fate of humanity
    should become the fate of Ankara," he said.

    COMMENT:

    Anonymous About 19 hours ago

    After 500 years of Ottoman rule we now have Erdogan preaching for a
    "common" Balkan future? Somehow I am not as touched as I should be. I
    wonder why?

    All the countries in the Balkans except for one or two made alot of
    sacrifices in order to be independent states today. In memory of the
    fallen let us not tarnish their memory with articles likes these. The
    Balkans do not need a "big brother". They need to organise themselves
    and to look toward a common EU future. That is the only way forward
    for the Balkans. Erdogan should do the same with his country once of
    course all the prerequistes have been met by his country set forward
    by the EU.

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