Toespraak Sezer

woensdag 28 februari 2007 17:30

A speech by H.E. Ahmet Necdet Sezer, president of the Republic of Turkey, at the dinner in honor of het majesty queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (27 february 2007, 20.00-21.35 hours, presidential palace

Your Majesty,
Royal Highnesses,
Distinguished Guests

We are delighted to host her Majesty Queen Beatrix and Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima in our country.
The splendid memory of our visit to the Netherlands in 2001 is still vivid. Her Majesty the Queen, with this visit, has provided us the opportunity to reciprocate the warm hospitality so kindly extended to us in the Netherlands.

The friendly relations between Turkey and the Netherlands have 400 years of solid historical background. The tulip represents elegance and beauty in Turkish culture. It became the common symbol of our historical friendship as well as our cultures, after being brought to the Netherlands in the 16th century.

In 2012, we will be celebrating the 400th anniversary of our diplomatic relations that began in 1612 with the appointement of an ambassador to the Sublime Porte by the Netherlands. Today, our relations have become even stronger with the common universal values that guide international relations.

In this context, we are pleased to witness that the aspirations of Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and Queen Wilhelmina, mutually pronounced in their correspondence of the 1920s and 1930s, for the strengthening of our relations, have been accomplished. With Your Majesty’s visit, we believe that our bilateral relations and cooperation in the international arena with our friend and ally the Netherlands shall further enhance.

Your Majesty,

Since our visit to Your country in 2001, significant developments have taken place in Turkey. Based on the strong will of the Turkish nation and in line with the goal set by our Great Leader Atatürk towards modern civilization, we have realized political and economic reforms that have opened the path for our accession process to the European Union. The Netherlands has acknowledged the importance of the relations between Turkey and the European Union going back more 40 years. Our accession talks started in October 2005, following an historical decision taken during the Dutch presidency. The fair and objective stance of the Netherlands vis-à-vis our country has been appreciated. It is important that this process continues with a similar approach and we trust the valuable support of the Netherlands.

Our partnership in economic and commercial field has reached a significant level. It is encouraging that our trade approached to four billion euros last year. The Netherlands is among the leading foreign investors in our country. I wish to emphasize in particular our determination to further improve our cooperation in trade and investment. The presence of prominent businessmen accompanying Your Majesty in this visit, is an indication that our aspirations are also being shared by the Dutch side.

It is pleasing to see that our cultural relations are further developing and diversifying day by day. We believe that there is a need to enhance further our cultural cooperation in order to bring our two nations closer and to establish a better understanding. The exhibition ‘Istanbul: the City and the Sultan’, inaugurated with Your Majesty’s presence on 14 December 2006 in Amsterdam and having a record number of visitors, demonstrates the importance of such cooperation.

Your Majesty,

The presence of about 400.000 of our citizens in the Netherlands is an important aspect of our relations today. These Turks, some of whom have also become Dutch citizens, are contributing to the economic and political life of the country with the new generations successfully integrating into the society. This significantly enhances the mutual understanding between our two nations. We follow closely the measures taken to enable this community to obtain the social rights they deserve, to preserve their language and cultural identity and to maintain their well-being and prosperity in the Netherlands.

Your Majesty,
Royal Highnesses

We believe that Your Majesty’s visit will open an important and an historical phase in our bilateral relations and will contribute to the further strengthening of the existing friendship between our two nations.

With these in mind, I raise my glass to the health of Your Majesty, to our deep-rooted friendship and to the mutual prosperity and the well-being of our two nations.