SEEKING PEACE NEEDS AN ENTERPRISING FOREIGN POLICY
This week Istanbul will host two separate but related international conferences on mediation. One will be devoted to the state of play in the conflict map and capacity for mediation within the membership of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The second one will adopt a broad scope and discuss the connections between sustainable development, peace and mediation; the ways to increase gender and youth inclusion in mediation processes; and a thought provoking session on the role of big data and artificial intelligence in conflict and mediation analysis. It may be thought that conferences are conferences but the Istanbul Mediation Conferences have proven rather influential in cultivating a shared understanding of issues and an agenda for action in the field of mediation and peaceful conflict resolution. As the host of these conferences and the only country that co-chairs the Friends of Mediation Groups in three distinct important international organizations, namely the United Nations, the OIC and the OSCE, Turkey has the ability to share the findings of these conferences in these international organizations.
The fact of the matter is that humanity is facing a distinct challenge in the 21st century. Just when many people thought that the glass is half full in terms of the achievements in international law, institutions, democracy and the rule of law, accountability, free trade, gender equality and others, the empty half of the glass has begun to reassert itself. The symptoms are known to all of us and need no reminding. Trade wars, new forms of international exploitation, geopolitical competitions, great power proxy wars, disintegrating nation states, terrorism, xenophobia, animosity against Islam, raging inequalities and injustice count among the contemporary trends that make up the glass half empty. The challenges of humanity are eating away the achievements and opportunities of humanity. Which side will prevail? The answer depends on how we respond to challenges, including on how much we humans can work together towards positive outcomes. One point is clear: unless we take initiative and be enterprising and humanitarian, the bad will prevail. Wait-and-see attitude is no longer tenable. Policy options differ from mediation to actual use of force against terrorists.
Take the situation in Syria. Turkey’s enterprising and humanitarian approach cleared a total of 4000 square kilometers from two terrorist organizations, DEASH and PKK/PYD/YPG. Had we not intervened, our people would have been under continued assault from these terrorists and a political solution to the Syrian tragedy would have been unreachable. Turkey is doing utmost to relieve humanitarian suffering, hosting the greatest number of refugees worldwide, spending more than the biggest economy in the world as the world’s top humanitarian spender. Turkey is also brokering agreements that save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives and promoting a political solution based on the territorial integrity of the neighboring Syria.
I gave the example of Syria for a reason. Syria demonstrates to us once again that prevention is important because once the fire of conflict engulfs a nation, then the only thing that remains predictable is that there will be unpredictable consequences on that state. One generation of citizens will be wasted in one way or the other; the future will also be bleak. Everyone, including those who are thousands of kilometers away will come to suffer, either in the form of terrorist threat, economic shock, irregular migration, or wounded human conscience.
If prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts are of paramount importance, then we must take it seriously. This appreciation is driving Turkey’s efforts in the field of mediation as the co-chair of the UN, OSCE and OIC friends of mediation groups and the host to a capacity building mediation training program and the two mediation conferences that we will organize in Istanbul this week.
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LASHA DARSALIA HAS MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION OF AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY
On 6 March 2023, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Lasha Darsalia, held a meeting with the members of Chairman of the International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Committee of the Milli Majlis, and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, who are on an official visit to Georgia.
Discussions focused on the importance of the strategic cooperation, including the inter-parliamentary Georgia-Turkey-Azerbaijan cooperation.
Special attention was paid to the new regional project on strategic partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission initiated by Georgia.
The parties talked about the complex security environment of the region, existing challenges and the importance of diplomatic efforts. Opportunities of the region and aspects of future cooperation were highlighted. The sides stated that they are ready to make appropriate contributions to ensuring regional peace and stability.
During the meeting, the Turkish side expressed special thanks to Georgia for the invaluable assistance provided to the Republic of Turkey after the devastating earthquake.
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In line with a Government Decree, 1 MLN GEL has been allocated as humanitarian aid to the population of the Republic of Turkey affected by the natural disaster from the Reserve Fund of the Government of Georgia channeled through the Ministry of Refugees from Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Security of Georgia today.
According to the Government Decree, which is signed by Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, the allocated financial resources will be used for the procurement of medication, food, clothes, medical equipment and other items, and their transportation to the Republic of Turkey.Press Service of the Government Administration -
40 Georgian firefighters will join the firefighters of the Emergency Situations Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, who participate in the liquidation and rescue measures after the earthquake in the Republic of Turkey.
An additional group has already left from Georgia to the Republic of Turkey.The rescuers will join the group of Georgian rescuers in the city of Adiyaman, where rescue operation is continuously underway, as a result of which one person has been saved.The Georgian rescuers were escorted at Tbilisi International Airport by the head of the Emergency Situations Management Service - Teimuraz Mghebrishvili and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to Georgia - Ali Kaan Orbai.The rescue teams were involved in the ongoing rescue operations in Turkey in accordance with the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia - Irakli Garibashvili.The group of Georgian rescuers is comprised of rescuers, cynology specialists, and rescue dogs trained for eliminating the consequences of earthquake and implementation of various rescue operations.Teimuraz Mghebrishvili, the head of the Emergency Situations Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, personally coordinates the rescue activities of the Georgian firefighters. -
On the decision of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the Government of Georgia, within the next few hours, will dispatch relevant equipment and rescuers to engage in the ongoing rescue operations following the recent earthquake in Turkey.
The employees of the Interior Ministry’s Emergency Management Service will be engaged to deal with the consequences of the earthquake in Turkey.The devastating earthquake in Turkey took place earlier this morning.Press Service of the Government Administration -
On December 7, 2022, a meeting was held in the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan with the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation, which arrived in our country on a visit, headed by the Chairman of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova.
Warmly welcoming the Azerbaijani colleagues, the Chairman of the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan G. Mammedova congratulated the guests on the International Day of Neutrality, emphasizing the importance of the current meeting, held on the eve of this wonderful holiday.
During the meeting, which was held with the participation of the heads of the committees, the state and prospects of inter-parliamentary cooperation, the possibilities of intensifying the exchange of experience in the field of lawmaking were discussed.
After the meeting in a narrow format, the Chairman of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan addressed the deputies.
Giving the floor to the guest, Speaker of the Mejlis G. Mammedova acquainted the deputies with the biography of the head of the National Parliament of Azerbaijan, emphasizing that thanks to the active support of the Presidents of the two states, all conditions have been created for the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Addressing the audience, S. Gafarova noted that her first visit to Ashgabat coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Speaker of the Parliament of a friendly country emphasized the commonality of our peoples, who have lived in the neighborhood for centuries and have a common history, culture, language, and religion.
As the Speaker of the National Parliament said, Azerbaijan fully supports the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan, President Ilham Aliyev invariably emphasizes that fraternal Turkmenistan has achieved great success by following this principle in its foreign policy.
Touching upon the subject of further development of inter-parliamentary cooperation and the significance of the current visit to Ashgabat, S. Gafarova stated that today successful contacts have been established between various organizations of the two countries, including with legislative bodies.
At the end of her speech, Speaker of the Parliament of Azerbaijan S. Gafarova thanked the Chairman of the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh G. Mammedova and all the participants of the meeting for their attention and hospitality.
On behalf of the deputies of the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh, G. Mammedova expressed her gratitude to the guest for a meaningful speech, wishing the Speaker of the Parliament of the friendly country and Azerbaijani colleagues further success in their activities that meet the goals of common well-being and prosperity.
