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 | Speeches | | |
The President of the Republic at the Festive Dinner in Honour of H.E. The President of the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and Mrs. Semra Sezer on April 18, 2002, at the House of Blackheads18.04.2002
Honourable President Sezer,
Honourable Mrs Sezer,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our thousand-year-old Tallinn welcomed you with a moodily chilly weather today but the spring in Estonia is just like that, although it must be somewhat unaccustomed to you. Yet, the warmer is our hospitality welcoming you in our Nordic capital. This day, Turkey and Estonia are exchanging state visits not for the first time, but for you, Mr President, as well as for your spouse, this is the first visit to Estonia. I really do hope, that from our place you will take home the wish to come back again.
Estonia and Turkey are located at the opposite ends of Europe. Neither the ancient raids of Vikings nor the roads of the Hanseatic League did reach that far to the South. Our cultures and languages are different and different is also our historical experience. However, we have found our way to mutual understanding and a wish to co-operate, and that - already quite a long time ago.
Turkey recognized Estonia officially on January 23, 1924, that is to say 78 years ago. Turkey never recognized the Soviet occupation in Estonia, and belonged to the first nations, which recognized the restored independence of the Republic of Estonia.
Up to date, more than ten years have passed by since the day our diplomatic relations were re-established. During this time, co-operation between our countries has made great strides. We have opened up embassies both in Ankara and in Tallinn. We are present and it is possible to communicate with us. Our countries have a solid contractual basis for successful bilateral co-operation and documents supplementing this basis are waiting to be signed.
We are pleased to have witnessed a significant growth of trade between Estonia and Turkey over the last years. But still a lot of work remains to be done to promote our economic relations. Tomorrow, the relevant parties will conclude an agreement to found an Estonian-Turkish chamber of commerce and I am sure that many new contacts will also be established at the Estonian-Turkish business seminar.
Mustafa Kemal has been quoted for many times. Permit me here to reiterate one of his thoughts one more time: "Herdsmen know only the sun, clouds and stars in the sky, which the peasants across the world understand in the same way, for their harvest depends on the weather. A Turk worships nothing but nature." Might the clue for the promotion of tourism between our countries be hiding in these words? Every autumn thousands and thousands of Estonians travel from rainy and bleak Estonia to your sunny beaches to prolong our short summer, for the weather is heavily biased towards Turkey. We have cloudless sky and warm seawater only for a very short time, yet there is more of virgin nature, primeval forests, clean beaches and marshlands here than anywhere else in Europe. You are welcome to discover our country.
Honourable President Sezer,
Dear Friends,
The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have shocked and changed the world. The image of the third world war has become reality. But the mankind needs peace and stability: throughout the world, in every region, every country, and in ourselves. We need a feeling of safety and we need security.
Estonia has chosen the way to join NATO. Turkey has repeatedly affirmed its support to the enlargement of NATO and to us being admitted to the alliance. We are very grateful to you for that. We both understand the necessity to retain the north-south balance. I am confident that we can rely on Turkey's support also in the autumn in Prague. Estonia acknowledges Turkey's progress in the process of accession to the European Union. In case of need we would gladly share with you our experience of negotiations with the European Union.
Dear Friends, our languages are totally different, but the structures of them and so, our way of thinking, are told to be similar. The philologists claim some words to be similar as well. For example, the Estonian "unustama" sounds "unutmak" in Turkish. But "alt" has the same meaning in both Estonian and Turkish. However, it is hard to believe that Turkish is so assiduously being studied in Estonia only because of these few words or practical need. The reason is rather the interest in your country, your old and rich culture and your people. There are Turkish classrooms both at Tartu University and Tallinn Pedagogical University. Thanks to the assistance of your Embassy have these classes been set up very well. These language classes have broadened the world outlook of the Estonians and taught us to better understand each other. This way distances shorten, and relations between nations advance at all conceivable levels.
Honourable President Sezer, Honourable Mrs. Sezer, Dear Guests, you are always welcome to Estonia. On behalf of myself and of my wife, on behalf of all those present, permit me to raise the glass to your health, to the glory and prosperity of the Turkish people!
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