People’s Republic of China Reform Forum delegation under the presidency of Hon. Lin JINGTIAN visited the Marmara Group Foundation with a delegation including academicians and distinguished guests.

During the visit that was held as part of the Silk Road projects, President of the China Reform Forum Hon. Li Jingtian invited the Marmara Group Foundation to Beijing for the purpose of realizing common projects and common meetings. As for Dr. Akkan Suver emphasized that Turkey attaches great  importance to the workings regarding the Land and Maritime Silk Road by the People’s Republic of China put forth.

Dr. Suver especially brought in the developments in the field of tourism and also pointed their request from the China Reform Forum on enhancing the existing Turkish Airlines flights between Turkey and China.

On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representative the Ambassador Hakan Kıvanç  also specified the visa issue that Turkey has ‘’ visa’’ system .

After the luncheon in the Malta Kiosk, meeting was concluded.

The speech of Dr. Akkan Suver as follows;

Me  and on behalf of my colleagues, we are very glad hosting the China Reform Forum representatives in this in this historical place as Marmara Group Foundation.

Welcome to Istanbul.

As Marmara Group Foundation, we are a civil society institution who believes the Silk Road Project and evaluate this Project as the philosophy of our age.

I am very pleased to address a community comprising such distinguished personalities concerned with the historical Silk Road. This meeting to be organized in Istanbul where carried a link identity uniting the West Central Asia with the Caspian region throughout history, is extremely well - directed choice.

In this wide geography between China and Europe, has been an important geopolitical region that connects different cultures and civilizations throughout history; and enabled a physical and economic link between China and Russia, between Mediterranean Basin with China, between the Middle East and Western Europe. In this region, historical Silk Road as well as being a trade route it also has been a culture way. Today the Silk Road, which combines peace between people and new opportunities to ensure the realization of common prosperity, bringing new potential and new prospects stands out once again on the world stage.

Reviving once again the Silk Road will give substantial acceleration for the economic growth in the region and expanding cooperation between Asia , Europe, the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea.

We know that the Silk Road is a main artery of the caravan routes that link Asia and Europe in the Old Lesser Asia. We are also aware of the significant connections along the Silk Road did changed several times. Therefore, in Turkey, we have an extensive road network, known as the parts of the old Silk Road. Indeed, Turkey has always been a bridge connecting the international trade routes. Today, Turkey's transcontinental natural terminal situation has become even more important.

Turkey's location as the crossing point of three continents and having historical and economic ties with most of the regions in a great environment makes necessary a multidimensional foreign policy. Request of Turkey to reconcile the different interests and existing lines both with the western and with the eastern shows itself along with the Turkey’s existence on expanding international and regional occurrences.

In this context, Turkey has also undertaken a leading role regarding the development of economic cooperation in the region. Expanding the Economic Cooperation Organization is the most obvious contribution that Turkey has realized for the regional co-operation and solidarity.

Along whit this cooperation networks, we aim that countries in the region to have mutually beneficial relations in a multilateral framework.

Old Silk Road, has not only moved wealth and prosperity from one place to another, but also has moved the philosophies, ideas and understandings of the different worlds to each other. Along with this feature, it has made important contributions reviving the universal civilization and brotherhood until it’s disappearance from the stage of history. Today a reverie that symbolizes by the ancient Silk Road rises again. New Land and Maritime Silk Road thought also paves the way to a common prosperity and peace.

Improvement of the regional cooperation projects based on the working and living together is the key to open doors to better and peaceful world. These projects will create a roadmap for global peace in the 21st century. Silk Road is one such initiative. This project is an extremely important project that will determine international relations and peace in the following century.

We live in an era full of hopes and challenges. We need to combine our forces on the  new vision of peace ground. We should able to transform the conflicts to the cooperation, confrontation into solidarity. In Asia, in Balkans, in Caucasus and in in the Middle East we must act together to establish a fair and lasting peace. The Silk Road should be an area of the people who have different of beliefs, languages, races, and religious and nationalities living and working together.

I believe that our meeting will be an significant milestone towards this divine purpose. Despite the many problems we face with, future prospects and opportunities are promised. We need to embrace these hopes and opportunities with far-sightedness and determination.

I would like to extend my gratitude for listening to me and greet your distinguished delegation.