(Unoffical Translation)

Welcome to the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process. It is a pleasure to host you at our country by means of this conference. I thank you all for your participation to the event. I wish that the meeting will be beneficial for the participating countries, especially Afghanistan.

We started this Process eight years ago with great excitement and hope. I believe the vast majority of the tests faced by Afghanistan can only be overcome through cooperation and solidarity. When evaluating the past eight years, we see very clearly how important a step we have taken by establishing the Istanbul Process. Many of the events we have experienced in the past years have repeatedly demonstrated this fact: From unity comes mercy, from separation, punishment. Regional problems can only be overcome by regional ownership. As long as there is solidarity and unity of strength, there are no obstacles that cannot be overcome.

The source of a significant portion of the problems faced by our brothers in South Asia originates from outside their borders. People in this geography have had to deal many times with problems they are not involved in. Regional cooperation and solidarity are essential to overcome the problems faced by the South Asian region and its immediate surroundings.

Against such issues, Istanbul Process is a very useful platform for producing regional and local solutions with a sense of responsibility, solidarity and ownership. With its operating style and principles, Istanbul Process offers a unique regional cooperation model in this sense. Since its establishment, Turkey has always been and will continue to be represented at Istanbul Process at the highest level. We have extended great effort to strengthen the Process, increase its effectiveness and talent to create solutions to problems. It is the only platform that brings together all relevant stakeholders of Afghanistan in political, security, economic and trade dimensions. During our second co-chairmanship, we searched for how to benefit from the Process more effectively and practically. The Declaration to be approved today, is the fruit of such a pursuit. I believe that we will increase the interest in the Process with the commitments and decisions recorded in the Declaration.

Dear Guests,

Afghanistan is going through a sensitive period and we as the international community need to increase our material and moral investments in Afghanistan. As we always say, it is difficult to build and easy to destroy. Achievements reached after long and arduous efforts, if not cared and paid attention, will quickly turn into a great defeat. This is much truer for fragile nations such as Afghanistan. Neglecting Afghanistan by focusing on some of the gains achieved in recent years will result in irreparable damages. For this, it is important that we all increase the efforts of all countries that care about Afghanistan's peace, tranquility and stability. We need to continue to support Afghanistan at this critical stage, in every field to the extent of our means without resorting to lethargy. Only in this way will terrorist organizations be prevented from finding a favorable environment in Afghanistan. Currently, as you know, there is a serious refugee flow from Afghanistan, through Pakistan, Turkey and Greece to Europe. Recently, we had to send back two thousand Afghans. With all being said, we know that no development move that does not involve the private sector will achieve its goal. Private sector and regional projects will play a major role in the economic and social development of Afghanistan. We appreciate the steps taken in this direction.

As NATO allies, we repeated our commitment to continue our contributions to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in London last week. Currently, around 800 of our security personnel are in Afghanistan. I call on NATO countries to continue their support for Afghanistan. As Turkey, our support to increasing both the capacity of the Afghan army and police, and Afghanistan's economic, commercial and social support continues. We are fully committed to continuing this as long as our Afghan brothers demand it.

While the international community adhered to its commitment to Afghanistan, it is also important for the Afghan Government to honor its obligations. We welcome the positive steps taken by the Afghan Government for the implementation of the “Mutual Accountability Framework” adopted in Geneva last year.

Our Afghan brothers, for the sake of their own future, still have some distance to take on issues such as the fight against corruption, drug production and trade, empowering the status of women and education. Undoubtedly, multi-faceted and chronic problems cannot be solved in a short time. What is important is the presentation of a will to face these problems and Afghanistan has demonstrated her willpower with her decisive steps in the latest period. It falls on us to assist efforts that will strengthen this resolve.

With this opportunity, I would like to stress another point that’s worrisome to us. Afghanistan is a country that has suffered a lot from the fight among brothers and has paid very heavy prices. Except for those feeding off of chaos, fight among brothers has no winner. We see that the ethnic fault lines in Afghan politics are getting ever more sharpened and we are worried about this. Regardless of the presidential election results, we hope that the new Government will adopt embracing, unifying and sincere approaches to the Afghan political scene. The winner of a fair and transparent counting process, as well as the winner of the presidential election, held also on these principles, will be determined by the will of the Afghan people. Everyone is obliged to respect this result as long as the legitimacy of the election process is not overshadowed. Otherwise, it is inevitable that the Afghan people will lose their faith in democracy. I believe that the Afghan people and the Afghan State with all their institutions will not allow such a situation.

On this occasion, I thank the Afghan authorities for their support to Turkey in the fight against FETO, which has martyred 251 of our citizens. Turkish Maarif Foundation has taken over 12 high schools in Afghanistan in the past year. Through our Foundation, we are committed to continue our support to Afghanistan's education in the upcoming period.

Dear Guests,

Sustainable peace in Afghanistan will be possible with the sincere and genuine support of the conference participants. I believe that Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process is very useful and effective in providing regional support for peace.

If we get into competition on intra-Afghan dialog and negotiations, it is inevitable to experience loss of time and energy. The diversity in the number of initiatives to provide regional support for peace in Afghanistan is noteworthy. The main objective should be to create an environment that will open the door for meaningful dialogue and negotiation among all elements of the Afghan people. It is essential to carry out the process with this understanding. In order to use our resources correctly and effectively, we need sincere dialogue and coordination on this issue. I think that Istanbul Process is the right address to meet this need.

It is obvious that enduring peace in Afghanistan will add a great power to our common fight against terrorism. a country that is at the forefront of this struggle, actually clashing with DEASH, we regretfully observe the re-establishment of the organization in Afghanistan. The determination of the Afghan security forces in the struggle against DAESH, and especially the successes they have achieved in recent weeks, are welcome. The transmission of DAESH virus to Afghanistan must be prevented. With the brutal murders it has committed in Syria and Iraq, this terrorist organization has inflicted the greatest damage on the Islamic world and Muslims. Through this organization, our geography has been turned into a lake of blood. Alongside the Afghan authorities, all actors in the region have important duties in the fight against DAESH. As a country that has lost 304 citizens to DAESH terror, we will give our best support for the expulsion of this organization from Afghanistan. I believe that the same sensitivity will be exhibited by all our friends here.

As I conclude my remarks with these thoughts, I thank you all for your attendance and invite the participants of the conference to make the best use of the Heart of Asia Istanbul Process and wish success to Tajikistan, which is taking over the co-chairmanship. I pray to God for our meeting and our decisions to be fortunate to Afghanistan and our Afghan brothers.

Thank you.