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Zaman, Turkey
June 29 2005
Gul: Reforms for the Muslim World Should not be Imposed from Outside
By Suleyman Kurt
Published: Wednesday June 29, 2005
zaman.com
The Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) convened Tuesday in
the Yemen capital, Sana'a with a reform agenda.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called on his counterparts
to undertake reforms during the opening of the three-day meeting in
which 57 Islamic countries are participating.
Gul emphasized Turkey's full support for the restructuring works of
the OIC and demanded support from Muslim countries for its temporary
membership into the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the
2009-2010 terms and for a lifting of the isolations on the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister
Serdar Denktas who represented the TRNC participated in the meeting
for the first time under the name "Cyprus Turkish State".
Turkey also presented a draft to the OIC including suggestions for
sound developments in the reform process for Muslim countries. The
draft sums up how to conduct the reform efforts following main six
topics and will expectedly form the basis of the reform process. The
Turkish Foreign Minister focusing on the issue in his speech yesterday
drew attention to the significance of civil society as well: "Non
governmental organizations in Muslim countries may contribute the
reform process by aiming at good governing and the rational use
of resources."
Gul listed the principles of reform: "Reforms should come from within
and not be imposed from without. They should be 'genuine'. They
should be laid on legal foundations to ensure sustainable execution,
especially in the field of economics. They should be founded upon
such universal and common values as gender equality, transparency,
accountability, and the supremacy of the law. The reform process
should be flexible enough to enable progress. Reforms should be
shaped with an eye on nature and the needs of society. Their execution
should be gradual." Gul highlighted the importance of the efforts on
political and cultural dialogue in the struggle to prevent hostility
against Islam. Announcing Turkey's support for the Organization's
restructuring, the Turkish Minister said, "This should be realized
in absolute transparency and with the complete agreement of all the
member states". In his speech Gul also touched upon the problems of
Western Thrace, Palestine-Israel, Iraq and Karabag (Karabakh).
OIC Secretary-General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in his speech
said, "Development and reforms constitute the unique real guarantee
for the 'salvation' of Islamic society and for a reduction in the gap
between us and the developed world before it reaches catastrophic
dimensions." Indicating the most valuable service the OIC could
provide to Islamic Society would be to help it endure the hardships
of today and to restore its ancient impassioned days, Ihsanoglu said,
this requires a genuine reform process in the OIC.
In the meantime, Gul met his Iranian counterpart Kemal Kharazzi
at Sana'a. The two did not touch upon Tehran's nuclear activities,
as the Turkish Minister reiterated Turkey's support for the use of
nuclear energy for peaceful ends. Good relations with Iran would
continue in the post presidential Iranian election period as well.
Arab reporters protested the meeting for being poorly organized.
June 29 2005
Gul: Reforms for the Muslim World Should not be Imposed from Outside
By Suleyman Kurt
Published: Wednesday June 29, 2005
zaman.com
The Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) convened Tuesday in
the Yemen capital, Sana'a with a reform agenda.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called on his counterparts
to undertake reforms during the opening of the three-day meeting in
which 57 Islamic countries are participating.
Gul emphasized Turkey's full support for the restructuring works of
the OIC and demanded support from Muslim countries for its temporary
membership into the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the
2009-2010 terms and for a lifting of the isolations on the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister
Serdar Denktas who represented the TRNC participated in the meeting
for the first time under the name "Cyprus Turkish State".
Turkey also presented a draft to the OIC including suggestions for
sound developments in the reform process for Muslim countries. The
draft sums up how to conduct the reform efforts following main six
topics and will expectedly form the basis of the reform process. The
Turkish Foreign Minister focusing on the issue in his speech yesterday
drew attention to the significance of civil society as well: "Non
governmental organizations in Muslim countries may contribute the
reform process by aiming at good governing and the rational use
of resources."
Gul listed the principles of reform: "Reforms should come from within
and not be imposed from without. They should be 'genuine'. They
should be laid on legal foundations to ensure sustainable execution,
especially in the field of economics. They should be founded upon
such universal and common values as gender equality, transparency,
accountability, and the supremacy of the law. The reform process
should be flexible enough to enable progress. Reforms should be
shaped with an eye on nature and the needs of society. Their execution
should be gradual." Gul highlighted the importance of the efforts on
political and cultural dialogue in the struggle to prevent hostility
against Islam. Announcing Turkey's support for the Organization's
restructuring, the Turkish Minister said, "This should be realized
in absolute transparency and with the complete agreement of all the
member states". In his speech Gul also touched upon the problems of
Western Thrace, Palestine-Israel, Iraq and Karabag (Karabakh).
OIC Secretary-General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in his speech
said, "Development and reforms constitute the unique real guarantee
for the 'salvation' of Islamic society and for a reduction in the gap
between us and the developed world before it reaches catastrophic
dimensions." Indicating the most valuable service the OIC could
provide to Islamic Society would be to help it endure the hardships
of today and to restore its ancient impassioned days, Ihsanoglu said,
this requires a genuine reform process in the OIC.
In the meantime, Gul met his Iranian counterpart Kemal Kharazzi
at Sana'a. The two did not touch upon Tehran's nuclear activities,
as the Turkish Minister reiterated Turkey's support for the use of
nuclear energy for peaceful ends. Good relations with Iran would
continue in the post presidential Iranian election period as well.
Arab reporters protested the meeting for being poorly organized.