CAIRO: Turkish Prime Minister stressed a future of stronger ties with Egypt and the Arab world, announcing increase in trade and investment and his country’s backing of the Palestinian statehood bid.
"Recognising the Palestinian state is not an option, it is an obligation," Rajab Tayyip Erdogan said at Arab League headquarters in Cairo, as the Palestinians seek support for a UN membership bid they plan to launch next week.
Egypt’s Prime Minister Esaam Sharaf signed Tuesday in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart an agreement to increase trade between the two countries from $3 billion to $5 billion within the upcoming period and increasing Turkish investments in Egypt from $1.5 billion to $5 billion.
The signature of the agreement comes on the second day of Erdogan’s three-day visit to bolster economic and political relations with Egypt.
"We will be the bright faces for this region in the future," Erdogan commented during a press conference following the meeting with Sharaf.
"Turkey and Egypt are two countries that have to cooperate and have close ties not just for their mutual benefit but for general well-being," said Sharaf. "We both agree on many issues most importantly fair peace and sharing the same beliefs regarding regional and international issues."
Sharaf also pointed out that the geographic locations of both countries make it crucial that they cooperate. "Turkey could be Egypt’s gate into Europe and Egypt could be Turkey’s gate into Africa," he said.
Accompanied by a delegation of 280 businessmen, Erodogan stated that Turkey is keen on more cooperation in the fields of transportation, tourism, banking and energy.
Regarding the developments in the region, Erodogan said, "Some countries in the region cannot read the changes that are happening, on top of which is Israel."
In his speech to the Arab League hours earlier, Erdogan addressed issues of the Palestinian state, the Turkish-Israeli dispute, and Turkey’s willingness to cooperate with Arab States in economic development.
"For hundreds of years we have been sharing the geographic location, deep faith, civilization and culture. We have common values and we want to transfer these values to the following generations," Erdogan told the Arab League.
He stressed the need for economic and social collaboration with the Arab States to achieve a peaceful and safe haven in the region.
"We have to boost economic reform, achieve the legitimate rights of the people, [and] uphold codes of justice which are security, peace and democracy," he said.
"We have to go beyond personal and individual interests, forge ahead for a better future, share natural resources for the common good not private interests, join hands in thinking of a better future, promote scientific thinking, literature, culture, art because we cannot achieve progress without these principles," he added.
Moving to the popular uprisings across the Arab states, Erdogan stressed the need to ensure that only the will of the people is achieved.
"In Libya for example, we have to make sure that the transitional council in Libya represents the will and the determination of the Libyan people," he said.
Regarding the dispute with Israel over the shooting of the Israeli forces on the Turkish Flotilla, Erdogan confirmed that Turkey was keen to cooperate with Israel during the investigation, but the report “published on the aggression by Israel has been rejected by us, it reflects Israeli mentality so for us it doesn’t exist," he said.
"We call on the international community to take proper action, because continuing the support of Israel is being part of the crime. Israel should respect human rights to terminate its isolation," Erdogan explained.
"[Israel has to] compensate the families of the victims [of the flotilla], otherwise no normalization between Turkey and Israel [will ever take place]. We have decreased the (ties) with Israel down to second secretariat and our military agreement has been pended," he added.
Erdogan called the international community to support the Palestinian bid for independence, confirming that international recognition of a Palestinian state was "not an option but an obligation."
"The continuation of the status quo can never be accepted," Erdogan asserted. "Now is the time to raise the Palestinian flag in Gaza and the United Nations. Let’s all raise the flag of Palestine high as a symbol of justice and peace, let us all support peace and stability in the Middle East."
Palestinians will bid for full membership of the United Nations later this month, a move opposed by the United States. Arab states endorsed it at the Cairo meeting.
"While Israel is trying to secure its legitimacy in our region on one hand, it is taking irresponsible steps which unsettle its legitimacy on the other," said Erdogan.
"Erdogan, Erdogan!" cheered a group of demonstrators as the Turkish prime minister left the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo where he spoke. They were calling for change in Syria, whose military is trying to stamp out popular unrest.
Displaying a populist touch, Erdogan stopped and shook the demonstrators’ hands.
Meanwhile, Erdogan and an accompanying delegation visited Al Azhar, in the presence of Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Minister of Religious Endowments, the President of Al Azhar University, the Grand Mufti and other Egyptian ministers.
The two sides discussed scientific and cultural collaboration, as well as educational exchange among Al Azhar and Turkish universities, especially in theological studies.
The meeting discussed what could be done to facilitate Muslims’ integration in European and African modern societies, in alignment with preserving their religious and cultural identity, security and development. –Additional reporting by Reuters and Mai Shams El-Din.
Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt’s ruling military council (R) greets Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, upon his arrival at the Defence Ministry in Cairo, on Sept. 13. (AFP Photo/Pool/Amr Nabil)
