On May 8 the governments of Italy and Turkey held their second summit in Rome. Accompanied by their ministers of foreign and European affairs, interior, economy, environment and finance, Prime Ministers Mario Monti and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reviewed the status of our bilateral cooperation.Sometimes events such as the one hosted at Villa Madama turn out to be simple ceremonial shows with not much substance in terms of concrete developments. However, this was not the case with the Italian-Turkish summit. The meetings in Rome showed once again how close the relations between our countries are and how deep our cooperation has reached in all fields, thanks to a long-standing friendship that has continued to consolidate in the past years. Mutual respect and sincere understanding of the other’s points of view are the secret to this relation. Our countries have agreed to build up a strategic partnership, and the Rome summit strongly contributed to this goal.
From an economic perspective, the Turkish-Italian cooperation represents a unique example in terms of solidity and opportunities for the future. With a bilateral trade that exceeded $21.3 billion in 2011, Italian and Turkish companies are exploring new ways to strengthen their cooperation also in third markets. Today Italian-Turkish joint ventures are involved in building the metro in Warsaw, a new airport in St. Petersburg and a highway in Oman. The way our productive systems complement each other and the important role played by our small and medium-sized enterprises — the backbone of our national industries — are forging an extraordinary and dynamic partnership. During the talks in Rome, many new opportunities for strengthening the current cooperation were highlighted, from renewable resources to strategic infrastructure projects, from energy efficiency to financial instruments for supporting investments.
It’s not the economy, however, that is shaping our strategic partnership, which finds a key pillar in our common NATO membership and our commitment to international stability and peace. In Afghanistan as in Kosovo, Italy and Turkey share a common vision on all security issues and are working hand-in-hand to contribute concretely to peace. The fight against terrorism remains the utmost priority, and our bilateral cooperation in this field is intensifying on a daily basis.
The current international outlook, especially events taking place since 2011 in the Mediterranean, is forcing our countries to strengthen cooperation in the regional context, too. Italy and Turkey are two of the countries most directly affected by the developments in the Mediterranean area. The level of coordination between the ministers of foreign affairs, Ahmet Davutoğlu and Giulio Terzi, on the ongoing crises has reached an intensity never experienced in the past. Turkey and Italy share a common vision on the Mediterranean as a region where cultural diversity meets socio-economic development to create a stable, peaceful and democratic environment. We fully support the legitimate aspirations of the people in the region to live in a free, pluralistic and democratic society. Our determination to this aim knows no limit.
With a strategic partnership, a solid alliance within NATO and a common view on our region, it is now time to complete the puzzle of our relations with the last piece: Turkey’s full membership in the EU. Turkey’s accession to the EU is a win-win case for both sides. The message that our leaders voiced at the summit in Rome couldn’t have been louder and clearer on this point: Joining the EU is the ultimate goal for Turkey, and Italy remains determined to fully support it.
From the Turkish perspective, joining the EU means fulfilling its legitimate aspirations, which are deeply rooted in the history and culture of the country. The accession to the EU will indeed represent the final act of that process of socio-economic development and evolution into a modern and dynamic democratic society that the country has been experiencing for a long time. On a parallel note, it will open up unprecedented opportunities for Turkish citizens and entrepreneurs in the economic, social and cultural fields, while on the political side expanding the country’s projection on the world scenario. Turkey has a lot to offer to the European Union, too. A bridge between Europe, Asia and the Middle East, with an energetic hub and a thriving economy, Turkey may provide the EU with crucial support in tackling common challenges: regional stabilization, energy security, economic competitiveness, the fight against terrorism. However Turkey’s contribution to the EU can only be effective through its full membership, borne out of a credible accession process.
Persuaded that Turkish membership constitutes a key part in the building of the European project, Italy is determined to make the utmost effort to re-energize EU accession negotiations for Turkey with concrete steps in line with the positive agenda proposed by European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Füle. A key issue for achieving a new momentum in EU-Turkey relations is visa liberalization for Turkish citizens, a powerful tool to bring the European and Turkish societies progressively closer. Abolishing visas means making the European dream a tangible reality for ordinary people. High priority has to be given to speeding up this process, with a view to achieving full liberalization in the shortest possible time.
The second decade of the 21st century is proving to be a very challenging time with much uncertainty stemming from current developments. Italy and Turkey understand that complex challenges need multi-layered answers and that no one can pretend to find solutions alone. Combining efforts and strengthening bilateral cooperation are the ways forward as this clearly shows the strategic partnership between Italy and Turkey, a reality for today and a guide for the future.
*Hakkı Akil is ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Italy.
**Gianpaolo Scarante is ambassador of the Italian Republic to Turkey.
(Today’s Zaman)
