WASHINGTON
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "Turkey's close interest in Syria has the objective of establishing peace in the region as a whole. In this region, the issue of Syria, the issue of Palestine and Israel are the problems that need to be resolved in order to have perpetual peace in the Middle East."
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan attended a lunch hosted in honor of him, during his visit in America, which was addressed by US Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday in Washington.
Erdogan thanked Vice President Biden and his wife, Secretary Kerry and his wife, for the hospitality they have shown to him and his delegation.
Erdogan reminded that he held privately talks with US President Barack Obama and that they talked about regional issues, the economic relations between Turkey and the US and that they will talk in detail at the dinner.
Relation between Turkey and the US
Erdogan noted, "The relations between Turkey and the United States are often known as the history of political history. However, in the close relations between the people of both nations, there are ancient symbols and exchange between the people. Just one mile from this beautiful building, at the George Washington memorial, there is a relief that is carved on the wall that bears the signature of Sultan Abdul Hamid -- Abdulmecid. Sultan Abdulmecid at that time did not refuse the request coming from the United States to send a memory to celebrate the independence of the United States. There are certain words carved in the marble block. Sultan Abdulmecid I has approved that his name would be carved on the stone in order to -- in order to celebrate the -- reinforce the friendship between the two nations. This memory, which comes from 170 years back, reminds us the roots of the friendship between the two nations."
"Principles of rule of law and pluralist democracy are tying us together from across thousands of miles"
Erdogan explained the influence of the Korea War to their friendship and said, "If you walk a little further down George Washington memorial, you are going to come across the Korean War Memorial. The names of the soldiers who lost their lives in the Korean wars 60 years ago and our soldiers who fought side by side 60 years ago, they are there to mark their common endeavor. If you walk further down, when you come to the U.S. Congress, you are -- you are encountering the relief of Suleiman the lawmaker.
This portrait, which is on the walls of the -- of the House of Representatives, is actually showing the friendship between the two nations -- among -- together with the other 22 nations that helped the establishment of the United States. The principles of rule of law and pluralist democracy are tying us together from across thousands of miles."
Erdogan noted that everybody should know that the objective of the old partnership and friendship between Turkey and the United States is targeted toward -- towards solving global problems and added, "Turkey is a country that presents its historical, cultural experience as well as its experience in statehood and civilization, and is a country that is also willing to contribute more."
The principles of the Turkish foreign policy
Prime Minister Erdogan reminded that Turkey has been built on the experience of multicultural empires of the Seljuk State and the Ottoman Empire and said,"Predecessors of the Republic of Turkey, the Seljuk State and the Ottoman Empire, have ruled many territories stretching from Asia to Europe and Africa and has built an important civilization. There is no doubt Turkey's accumulation and heritage is going to contribute to the solution of global problems. Today the objective is to establish peace, tolerance, prosperity and stability in the region and in the world at large. The objective is to establish peace and democracy without -- with respect to sovereignty rights, with sovereignty of the state, without interfering into the -- into domestic affairs."
Erdogan referred to the crisis in Syria and said, "Of course, we are going to resolve this drama that is being lived in the region together, hand-in-hand. And there is a historical duty on the shoulders of the U.N. Security Council in this respect" and underlined the principles of the Turkish foreign policy as, "peace, justice and having a conscious point of view. Just as we were hurt with the attacks in the -- during Boston marathon, just as we were hurt during the bullets fired at women at Mother's Day, we are also feeling the sorrow of what is being lived there in Syria."
Erdogan highlighted the role of business people from Turkey and the United States, "They have been working so far this morning and they will continue to work again this afternoon. And they are going to take even further the volume of trade between the two countries, behind $20 billion, which is the present state. And this should be an important step to be able to further this volume of business. Of course, this figure is -- it's -- is insignificant. It is -- it is not easy -- it is not -- the $20 billion between Turkey and the United States is a very low figure. And the balance is to our disadvantage. We have to bring balance to the trade. And this is what we have discussed. On these issues we are going to conduct high-level contacts between the two countries through our Ministry of Economy, through our Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
The Turkish Prime Minister also reminded that he was very happy by the visit of Vice President Biden at his home when he was sick.
