CICA Istanbul Summit

3rd Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)

June 7–9, 2010 Istanbul

CONFIDENCE BUILDING BASED ON COOPERATION IN ASIA

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held from June 7-9, 2010 in Istanbul, was launched with President Gül’s commencement speech in Istanbul

CICA Istanbul Summit

CICA: INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION WITH 22 MEMBERS

Drawing attention to the great efforts of President Nazarbayev towards the establishment of CICA, having become an international institution with 22 members, including Vietnam and Iraq, the President shared his pleasure at observing the great progress that CICA, a similar organization to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has made over time in terms of peace, stability and security in the region.

TURKEY IS CICA’S CURRENT PRESIDENT

Describing term presidencies as relay races, the President maintained that Turkey, the CICA’s current president from 2010 to 2012, would assign this responsibility to other member states.

Recalling that he had attended the 2nd Summit held in Almatı in 2006 as Deputy PM and as FM, President Gül also remembered that he had delivered a speech during which he underlined the complexity of the notion of security in the first half of the 21st century and discussed its concerns which include the comprehensive and indivisible structure of security and terrorism, organized crimes, weapon, drug and human smuggling, pointing out that these concerns do not recognize any political or geographical boundaries.

A broader, and more comprehensive approach with social precautions is needed to be able to fight against these menaces, asserted the President, adding that there should be close collaboration and dialogue between countries. He also declared security based on cooperation to be a loadstar for international relations. Turkey, he continued, will continue making efforts towards building confidence based on cooperation throughout Asia during its CICA’s term presidency.

President Gül further underscored that the key to success is the support of all the member countries, adding that the studies Turkey will be conducting during its term presidency will be based on the agreement of the member states.

DEMOCRACY AND COOPERATION

Drawing attention to the importance of human rights and democracy while establishing peace and stability in the CICA region, President Gül declared democracy and cooperation to be the best way to overcome disagreements.

The President continued as follows: “We will devote our energy to the resolution of the current disagreements and to the establishment of peace, stability and security. On the other hand, what we really have to do for the next generations is to establish an atmosphere where disagreements cannot persist. We can establish such an atmosphere only through democracy, dialogue and cooperation and by consolidating our common values and principles.” The universal standards of the basic rights and freedoms put by the UN are the references for the progress to be made in the body of CICA.

“Human history is full of personal and social tragedies caused by biases, polarization, intolerance, enmity, hatred, extremism and segregation, he reiterated. Civilians, said the President, are the ones who have been affected worst by these. “Therefore, mankind must learn from all the wars and clashes in the past that led to agony and destruction in order to promote the peace, security and welfare of the next generations. It is the international community’s responsibility not to allow them to recur. We can see the painful outcomes of actions based on hate and revenge. We have recently witnessed the merciless examples of such actions. We must cease this tendency which is highly worrisome for the international peace and security!” urged President Gül.

“REACHING A LASTING SOLUTION BY DEFYING INTERNATIONAL LAW IS IMPOSSIBLE”

Today, declared the President, it is impossible to reach any lasting solution by defying international law, making attempts on peoples’ lives and by resorting to brute force. He also reiterated that old hatreds and animosities should not be displaced with new ones and that a common understanding for the happiness of peoples should be obtained.

After the President’s speech, a family photo was taken and the President hosted a luncheon for the heads of the delegation at Çırağan Palace.

NEW TURNING POINT IN CICA’S HISTORY

President Abdullah Gül made a speech at the closing session of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) 3rd Summit of Heads of State and Government.

He noted that the CICA process, having been carried out by Kazakhstan with success for 18 years, is reaching a new level with Turkey’s presidency from 2010 to 2012.

He later referred to the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the CICA Secretariat and Staff signed during the CICA Istanbul Summit, which he claimed would enable CICA to contribute as an institution to the international community.

Sharing his pride to see CICA become a 22-member international institution with the participation of Vietnam and Iraq, President Gül declared the support of the member states during Turkey’s term presidency as the key to success. He exclaimed: “I wholeheartedly believe that we will make great contributions to regional and global peace, stability and security with the robust support of the CICA member states!”

Bilateral Talks

CICA: ASIA’S OSCE

President Abdullah Gül read aloud the statement of Turkey’s term presidency during the press conference he held after the closing session of the CICA 3rd Summit of Heads of State and Government and he responded to queries from the press.

Evincing his pleasure with the intense participation and great interest from the member states, President Gül declared the most important feature of CICA to be a security institution similar to the OSCE.