SPEECH BY MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY,

FOR MR ABDULLAH GÜL, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY

(Strasbourg, Tuesday 25 January 2011, noon)

Mr President,

It is an honour and a pleasure to welcome you in this Chamber, particularly at a moment when your country is chairing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

You were one of us for almost ten years, between 1992 and 2001, and you are one of the strongest supporters and defenders of this Assembly and the values we stand for.

After leaving the Assembly, you were appointed Prime Minister, then Minister of Foreign Affairs until being elected President of Turkey in 2008. We are proud of the fact that our Assembly has opened the way for such a brilliant political career!

Your outstanding personal involvement in World and European affairs is well known and, in this respect, I wish to congratulate you on behalf of the Assembly on the awarding of the 2010 Chatham prize which shows how much your contribution to international politics is appreciated.

Mr President,

As a crossroad between Europe, the Middle-East, Central Asia and the Southern Mediterranean, Turkey is an essential factor of the stability and prosperity on the European continent as well as a bridge between different cultures and religions. It is also a modern European state which shares fully the principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights which our Organisation stands for.

As a Turkish politician, you have invested a lot of efforts in promoting democratic reforms in Turkey. Progress on this front is clearly visible: the positive result of the recent referendum on constitutional changes as well as the high turnout show how strongly the Turkish people are attached to their democratic rights and freedoms and to a future in Europe. I am sure that with your strong political support, democratic reforms in Turkey will move ahead smoothly, for the benefits of the Turkish citizens.

Mr President, I am sure there are many issues which you would to discuss with us today. We are therefore looking forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts about the present and future of your country as well as the role the Council of Europe should play in European and World politics.

Mr President, you have the floor.