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 21^st 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.

On November 21, 2018, in accordance with the Presidential Resolution, Turkmen delegation headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan has arrived on a working visit to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with the aim to attend the event related to starting the construction of the mosque for 500 persons in Akina township, Andhoy region, Faryab province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.  

At the same time, on the day of the beginning of the construction of the Akina mosque, a ceremony was held to start the construction of an additional railway line with the length of 10 km in order to develop the Akina railway station sector. The heads of railways agencies of the two countries have attended this event.   As is known, in November 2016, with the participation of the Presidents of both states, the first line of the Kerki – Ymamnazar – Akina railroad was commissioned.

Turkmenistan permanently provides humanitarian assistance to neighboring Afghan state. The construction of the mosque will be carried out on the basis of the corresponding Program of the cultural and humanitarian direction for 2018-2020 between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The construction of the mosque will be carried out at the expense of the Turkmen side and will be another evidence of friendly relations.

The ceremony of laying foundation of the mosque has been attended by Mr. Nakibullah Gayik – the governor of Faryab province, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Turkmen and Afghan representatives of religious affairs, elders and other government officials. 

The construction works will start in November, 2018 and the mosque will be ready by December, 2020.  

In recent days, distorted information about allegedly illegal activities of Turkmenistan's border services with respect to the Iranian vessel has spread in the media of Iran and other countries. The Turkmen side states that on March 21, 2018, the border services of Turkmenistan suppressed an attempt to smuggle a large consignment of narcotic drugs by a group of citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran that violated the state border of Turkmenistan on the motorway boat in Turkmenistan's territorial waters, 3-4 km from the coastline of Turkmenistan.

During the detention, these smugglers, not submitting to the commands of the border patrol, took provocative actions against the Turkmen border guards, regarded as an encroachment on life, as a result of which violent methods of coercion were applied against violators in strict accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan.

Currently, in the case of the incident, the parties, within the framework of the existing border commissar meetings, take appropriate procedural steps.

The Turkmen side, speaking about the above, stresses that any attempts to politicize this issue, from whom they would not proceed, will be regarded as unfriendly towards Turkmenistan and immediately refuted by the Turkmen side.