Dear Guests,

The Eurasian Economic Summit which is organized consecutively for the last thirteen years by a civil initiative of The Marmara Group Foundation, proceeds with this year’s sessions as of today with your honorable participation.

Thirteen years ago, the first Eurasian Economic Summit was organized by the participation of only Azerbaijan, Kazakstan, Kirghizistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and The Russian Federation. This year, forty four countries, namely: the United States of America, Germany, Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, People’s Republic of China, Estonia, France, Gagauzia, Georgia, Crotia, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Iraq, İran, İsrael, Switzerland, Montenegro, Kazakhistan, Southern Cyprus, Kirgizhistan, Kosovo, Letonia, Libya, Hungary, Macedonia, Mongolia, Moldova, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Jordan and Greece, are participating at The Summit,

This is a major accomplishment and a great honor at the same time, for a non-governmental organization.

In the meantime, among the participating countries, Albania is honoring our Summit at the presidential level with His Excellency Bamir TOPİ, and Macedonia is also honoring us at the presidential level with His Excellency Gjorge IVANOV. We most heartily welcome them and present to them our profound thanks and regards. In addition, His Excellency Mustafa MUEZZINOVIC is participating at our Summit as the Prime Minister of Bosnia Herzegovina. We are also welcoming him with utmost respect and gratitude.

The Ninth President of The Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Süleyman DEMİREL, followed by the former presidents of Bulgaria, H.E. Zhelyu ZHELEV, H.E. Petar STOYANOV; the former presidents of Romania, H.E. Ion ILLIESCU, H.E. Emil CONSTANTINESCU; the former presidents of Mongolia, H.E. Punsalma OCHIRBAT and H.E. Natsagiin BAGABANDI; and, the former president of Estonia, H.E. Arnold RUUTEL are honoring the 13th Summit with their presence. We are welcoming them all, with utmost respect and gratitude, as well. Meanwhile, we would like to express our sincere thanks to sisterly Azerbaijan, as well as The Russian Federation and The People’s Republic of China, for taking part in The Summit with extremely high-ranking delegations.

Dear Guests,

I would like to bring to the attention of this august assembly that we attribute the highest importance to the participation of Azerbaijan to the 13th Eurasian Economic Summit. I am thinking in the way of the relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey as one of utmost cooperation, as one who believes in the philosophy of “One nation two states”. I have been working to realize this philosophy, as the leader of a non-governmental organization and we regard the Turkish-Azeri relations not only from political, economic and cultural angles, but also from a very emotional framework. In this geography one cannot think of Turkey without Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan without Turkey.

Turkey-Azerbaijan relations form an area of intense activity to which The Marmara Foundation directs its utmost attention and tireless efforts.

Distinguished Guests,

Quite contrary to the past practice, unfortunately this year, there may be no contribution by The Republic of Turkey to The 13th Eurasian Economic Summit at ministerial and parliamentarian level, because of the ongoing parliamentary sessions which has sequestered the entire membership of the current Administration. The current debate and the process of Constitutional Amendments will require all these parliamentarians to remain in Ankara until May 10, 2010. In other words, until the targeted changes are realized.

We deeply regret this unfortunate development. Nevertheless, we are asking for your understanding as this sudden but crucial issue has fallen into the agenda of the Turkish Parliament only about a month ago.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As the President of The Marmara Group Foundation, I would like to draw your attention to the following point: To be considered European does not merely mean to belong to the geographic continent of Europe. Rather, the European notion is a concept of civilization, a definition as a system of values. It would be inaccurate to consider Europe as merely a continent, because this is just a geographic definition. In our opinion, any place or country which has a European lifestyle, adopts European values, and has a European concept in intellectual belief, can be considered as part of Europe. Consequently, Europe is not only a geographical entity but also consists of its history, sociology and ethnicity, with a unique philosophy of life. Thus, when its values are taken into account, a different map of Europe, comprising of even oceans appears. This European thought contains The Balkans: With Macedonia, with Greece, with Bulgaria, with Serbia, with Bosna Herzogovina, with Montenegro, with Kosovo, with Romania, with Moldova, with Slovenia, with Albania, with Croatia and with Turkey. The geography of The Balkans is an historical and a social fact. Sadly, some communities in Europe are not pronouncing the word “The Balkans”. They prefer to use the phrase “Southeast Europe”, instead. In our opinion this is an erroneous expression. It is even worse if “Southeast Europe” is meant to somewhat exclude Turkey from Europe. Because the ones who consider the island of Cyprus as Europe, cannot ignore Turkey, whose actual land is placed geographically on the continent of Europe. If there exists a mentality, claiming to end Europe on the Greece and Bulgaria axis by using the phrase “Southeast Europe”, it represents a totally misguided attitude.

Once again I would like to repeat that being European is not just about geographical boundaries and lands. The above sited premises and the philosophy of the Eurasian Economic Summits, which are organized to compose the Eurasian way of thinking, clearly demostrate that there would be no doubt of the truth of Turkey’s geographical and historical rights in Europe.

Eurasia is a continent just for geographers; however the values that Eurasia represents go beyond its borders, to include America and even Africa. We regard on the term of Eurasia, as a system of values.

Our approach to the philosophy of Eurasia is such that it embraces globalization. Considering the relations with the Eurasian countries to be sufficient and trying to exclude globalization from these relations will be totally unrealistic. The important point is to be able to be included in this globalization process, without damaging national interests and cultural heritage. On the other hand, there is hardly any country where all the dimensions of globalization are in force.

Globalization still remains an ideal today. What we are aiming at with The Eurasian Economic Summits is to endeavor to come closer to this ideal day by day and we consider the interdependence among Eurasian countries an utmost necessity.

Globalization directs us to focus on common values. Without globalization we will be forced to face alienation, resulting in isolation, not only economically, but also spiritually.

This is to say that some great changes in our social and moral life, as well as economic structures, will take place as a result of the changes brought by globalization.

Thus will be reached the true spirit of the Eurasian Synergy.

In my opinion, this spirit has to be considered with its social and moral values which are foreseen by those through whose efforts the rebirth of the Eurasian philosophy was placed on the world stage.

I believe that the geography of the countries from the Adriatic Sea to China have to come together, as the former countries of the divided Europe, hostile to each other, have come together within the European Union in the light of their common values.

Therefore, Eurasia has to be our priority.

A synergy established in this wide geography, which comprises many different cultures with different identities, would be the guarantee for the relization of a very bright future.

Distinguished Participants,

This year The Eurasian Economic Summit will address economy, poverty and the philosophy of dialogue on a global level. The Eurasian Economic Summits is the great achievement of the Turkish Private Sector. This miracle created by a handful of Turkish businessmen, having faith in The Marmara Group Foundation, is also a warranty of our future.

As The Marmara Group Foundation, we are going to bring up The Nabucco Project in the afternoon session of The 13th Eurasian Economic Summit. Along with this topic, the alternative pipelines will also be discussed by the experts of this subject. During the course of the last four years, The Marmara Group has persistently taken up The Nabucco Project. The main reason why we insist on is to secure the efficient use of Europe’s natural gas resources. On the second day, we will bring together sagacious men of our times. These wise men will offer us a comprehensive review of the possibilities awaiting the mankind in the near future.
Further this afternoon, there will be discussions on the global economy, as well as tourism related to health issues. We are going to dedicate the last session of The Summit to face to face negotiations. We have entitled it as the “Dialogue” session. Dialogue for sustainable development, inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue, dialogue on eradication of poverty and dialogue for peace. By listening to the sagacious opinions and recommendations of scores of distinguished participants coming from overseas, we will be brainstorming in a most intellectual environment and will try to be better equipped and prepared for the future.

Honorable Guests,

As the Marmara Group Foundation; whose work and efforts have been recognized by The United Nations, by The Blacksea Economic Cooperation Organization, by The Balkan Political Club, by The International Foundation of The Blacksea and The Caspian Sea, by UNESCO, by The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, by the Vienna Economic Forum and by The World Mongolian Council, we have been approached by The Nobel Prize Authorities to nominate a candidate this year, on either ecological, social or cultural fields.

We as The Marmara Group Foundation, have been honored by the trust and courtesy shown towards our group and our work. In the presence of your company, I would like to declare that we are nominating a very valuable member of ours, Prof. Dr. Agni Vlavianos ARVANITIS from Greece, for The Nobel Prize, with respect to her reputable work on the environment, which has won her fame and brought her acclaimation all around the world.

We congratulate Prof. Dr. Agni Vlavianos ARVANITIS and we hope that you will also
agree with our standards of values with respect to this nomination and thus not spare your support.

Distinguished Guests,

In conclusion, I would like you to know that Eurasia philosophy is a global concept.

We believe that it is essential to approach this global concept from local and national points of view. In other words, we would like to be global in thought and should focus to global horizons and try to resolve issues and problems politically through locally conducted mutual negotiations. In our opinion, this kind of approach constitutes a major condition in order to be a part of the contemporary civilization.

In today’s real politics our Eurasia alliance and philosophy should be totally compatible with our EU relations, NATO responsibilities, partnership with the US and relations with the Islamic countries. We should think globally but treat issues nationally as well. We would like to encourage this form of approach, to be developed not only for our own national benefits and national interets, but also for those of our partners and neighbors.

With these thoughts in mind, I would like to welcome you to The Eurasia Economic Summit and to its philosophy. I salute each and everyone of you with deepest respect and highest esteem.