Celebrating 90 Years - Foreign Policy Association

The Middle East is already over-
burdened with tensions and con-
flicts. The conflict over the nuclear
issue in Iran needs an urgent but
diplomatic solution.
Another project we are working on is the
Peace Campus Initiative. This project is based on
the idea of establishing a university hospital at
a health and education campus of international
stature adjacent to the West Bank.
I am hopeful that once they materialize,
the Industrial Zone and Peace Campus projects
will help build confidence between the Israeli
and Palestinian peoples. Turkey stands firmly
behind these two projects. When the projects
succeed, I believe, we will have a working model
of cooperation for the Israelis and Palestinians.
These projects also will provide models of
successful third-party initiatives for countries
willing to make a difference on the ground.
The Middle East peace process is bound to
be incomplete without positive developments
on other tracks. We, therefore, attribute special
importance to the Israeli-Syrian indirect peace
talks that started under Turkey’s auspices in
Istanbul in May 2008. We are hopeful for a
successful outcome at the end of the process. In
any case, Turkey will continue to help the parties
in their quest for a just and viable peace.
The stability of Lebanon is of strategic
importance for the maintenance of peace and
security in the Middle East. Therefore, we will
continue to support the sovereignty, political
unity, and independence of Lebanon. We
saw a crisis in May 2008 that threatened the
delicate multi-confessional fabric of Lebanese
society. That crisis had the potential of further
destabilizing the region. Turkey, in cooperation
with our partners, expended considerable effort
in defusing the crisis and welcomed the Doha
Accord finally reached. We are now looking
forward to a continuation of the spirit of national
reconciliation during full implementation of the
Accord.
The international community, however,
must remain committed to the stability of
Lebanon. On its part, Turkey will continue
to participate in the UNIFIL [U.N. Interim
Force in Lebanon]. Our contribution to the
reconstruction of Lebanon, focusing mainly on
the education and health sectors, will continue.
I recently met with President Michel Suleiman,
who reaffirmed Turkey’s strong support for
Lebanon.
In talking about the stability of Lebanon, I
believe, the Syrian factor cannot be overlooked.
Obtaining Syria’s support for the Doha Accord
was an achievement in itself. The recent
contacts between the Syrian and Lebanese
governments, as well as their decision to
establish diplomatic relations, are important
steps toward positive change. Engaging Syria
would prove useful not only in Lebanon, but
elsewhere in the region, including in the peace
process. Syria’s decision to enter into indirect
peace talks with Israel in Istanbul was a
promising step in that direction.
The Middle East is already overburdened
with tensions and conflicts. It certainly cannot
tolerate another one. Hence, the conflict
over the nuclear issue in Iran needs an urgent
but diplomatic solution. We believe that
a diplomatic settlement to this problem is
possible. Such a settlement should take into
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MEETINGS: PRESENTATION BY ABDULLAH GÜL