30 October 2012


SPEECH BY CONSUL GENERAL GUNES YESILDAG AT THE RECEPTION FOR COMMEMORATING THE 89th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PROCLAMATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY

(30 October 2012, Tuesday, Amiri Residential Town, Mazar-e Sharif)


Distinguished Guests,

I would like to welcome you all to our reception commemorating the 89th Anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.

This year we are celebrating our National Day, the Proclamation of the Republic, and the Eid al-Adha, around the same time.

However, our joy is bitter because of the abhorrent suicide attack which took place in Maymana on the first day of the Eid al-Adha. We wish God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives and speedy recovery to the injured.

The Republic of Turkey was established 89 years ago as a modern state based on its people’s will, following the struggle for independence led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Today, we are celebrating the re-birth of a more dynamic and stronger Turkey from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.

Since then, Turkey made strides in the political, military, economic and social fields and went through a great transformation in terms of democracy, human rights, rule of law and integration into the international economy.

Distinguished guests,

The strong friendly and fraternal relations between the Turkish and the Afghan peoples stem from the deep-rooted and shared history and culture.

This firm relationship has revealed itself as a strong solidarity throughout the history. The two peoples assisted each other whenever they went through hardships.

Turkey continues to be in solidarity with Afghanistan today. We make every contribution within our means to the efforts for the development of Afghanistan in order to ensure the Afghan people have a prosperous future.

In this context, our Consulate General in Mazar-e Sharif and Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Jawzjan conduct reconstruction, sustainable development and humanitarian aid projects together with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency in northern Afghanistan.

Our solidarity with Afghanistan extends in a wide range from education, health, agriculture, infrastructure to capacity building. Our solidarity and assistance will continue as long as our Afghan brothers and sisters wish.

I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that, within the framework of our continued assistance to Afghanistan, we have committed 60 million USD at NATO Chicago Summit for the financial sustainment of the Afghan National Security Forces for the term 2015-2017, and 150 million USD at the Tokyo Conference for development projects in the same period.

I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate our appreciation to the Afghan authorities for their support in implementation of our projects, and to the Afghan people for the ownership they have demonstrated for our assistance projects.

Distinguished Guests,

Turkey’s efforts towards Afghanistan are not limited to reconstruction and capacity building. Believing that a stable, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan can only exist in a stable, prosperous and peaceful region, we encourage the enhancement of regional cooperation.

The Turkey-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Summit Process, the Sixth Meeting of which was held on 1 November 2011, and the Istanbul Process, participated by the regional countries and supported by the wider international community, that was initiated on 2 November 2011 with the Istanbul Conference for a Stable and Secure Afghanistan in the Heart of Asia, are at the center of our efforts for regional cooperation.

The Istanbul Process, I would like to underline, has made progress beyond initial expectations. The leadership shown by Afghanistan for the advancement of the Process and the ownership demonstrated by the countries of the region made this progress possible.

Distinguished Guests,

Afghanistan is going through a phase towards establishing a permanent environment of peace, security and prosperity, which will embrace all segments of the Afghan society.

In this phase where many challenges are present, it is important that Afghanistan maintains its determination and international community continues its assistance in order to not to waste the efforts exerted and lose gains on the ground.

Turkey will continue to stand by Afghanistan and the Afghan people in the future as it did in the past.

Thank you.