As the representatives of the Marmara Group Foundation, Dr. Akkan Suver, Mrs. Müjgan Suver, Şamil Ayrım, Dr. Fatih Recep Saraçoğlu and Ms. Hatice Aslı Yanardağ took part in the 46th Plenary Session organised by the PABSEC in Romania. During the both seperate addresses, Dr. Akkan Suver reported on the ties between the Silk Road and Black Sea. 

Mr. Haluk İpek, the Member of Parliament and the Turkey President of the PABSEC and the delegation of the Marmara Group Foundation at the Parliamentary of Romania

 Speech of Dr. Akkan Suver, at the PABSEC Cultural, Educational and Social Affairs Session

Dear President,   

Dear distinguished Members of Parliament,

Here, I have signed up today so as to point out with another value benchmark by making mention of my views pertaining to the thought of the Silk Road Economic Belt, which I had already referred at the Moldova Meeting to.

Subsequent to the Moldova Meeting, I had the opportunity to express my sentiments (twice) for the second time in China and once at the events of Silk Road Economic Belt in Istanbul. The first event took place in Nanjing and the second one in Qingdao. In Istanbul, I came together with a Chinese Think-Tank Institute to have talks on the same topics.  

As is already known to yourselves, the Silk Road Economic Belt introduced 3 years ago by H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping, the President of P.R. of China, has been one of the most significant economy projects of our age. I go beyond that and name this project as the philosophy of the age we live in. Forasmuch, the said geographical area links Beijing with London. Within the remarkable portions of this hinterland, there are the countries located in the Black Sea Region.    

Apart from that, it will be irrelevant to perceive this project as an ordinary commercial and transporting project or else, as a trade liberalization among the related countries. I regard those ones inadequate as well.

Undoubtedly, trade is the backbone of this project.

The transportation, namely the free movement of the goods and commodities or the ‘‘win-win’’ approach is not merely the part of this project, this project is rather a civilization project. This is an acquaintance of the cultures and diversity. That is the get-closeness’ of the religions, heading to peace. This is the thought extending along the welfare. This is the source of stability. In this context, the term dialogue is the integral part that all these points are comprised of.  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 The main source of the merciless terror we have been exposed to originates from the lack of dialogue.

The main reason is, however, is the administration gap prevailing in these territories. Where there is no state mechanism, there exists no hope, either. In this regard, stability is a dream out of reach. Hence, by means of this project, we can together bring the hope to these lands where no hope is existent.

Besides the cooperation in terms of confidence building and facilitation of prosperity and welfare, hope is the solely decretory tool to get rid of the terror. 

If we are to facilitate peace for Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, it is incumbent on us to reinforce dialogue and pave the way for hope decisively. For this reason, I do attach a great importance on the Silk Road Economic Belt.

With the help of this Belt, only then will the population of 4 billion be able to find a place for themselves.

Please allow me to speak today (tonight) of the mission introduction of this huge project.

The successfully implementation of the Silk Road passes through the effective usage of the Information Technologies (IT) that is to provide with a competitive atmosphere.

The importance to be attached to the trade in compliance with environment and innovation will play a key role in achieving the financial targets. For sure, the growth of the trade volume and the balanced implementation of win-win principle between the countries of the Central Asia with the Balkan Region will be rather related to innovation than the competition.

The Second Channel Suez recently constructed and the Indian Ocean is to be linked with the Atlas Ocean. Upon this integration, Turkey will emerge as a new centre in the Mediterranean. Besides this, Peking will be linked to London by means of the railway line passing under the Marmara Sea in Istanbul, Turkey. With the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway line, Turkey will also serve in favor of the Silk Road out of Railway. This road will reach from Turkey to the Balkans and from there to the Central Europe. 

While all these projects are being conducted, the culture of Uzbekistan to Romania, the culture of Azerbaijan to Serbia, the conventions of Russia to India, the philosophical values of China to France and the cultural mind-set of Kazakhstan will be able to be conveyed to Bulgaria. The Chinese in Azerbaijan, the Uzbek in Bulgaria, the Arabic in Georgia and the Turkish in Russia will be able to be heard.

Therefore, it is not a merely civilisation project but also a peace project. The enhancement of the business cooperation and the realization of the joint investments among the countries located on the Silk Road become true and the participant countries enable a capital and technology flow to the new emerging markets of the related countries via their productive force with high performance. As a means of this project, which will bring about a vision for the countries, will become of great interest for all parties.

I totally believe the ground dimension as well as the sea dimension of the Silk Road Economic Belt, will be very successful.

Through this accomplishment, not only the economic growth and peace will be facilitated but also the way for the opportunities in terms of the global cooperation be paved. 

On the struggle against the painful facts such as migration and terror considered as the biggest problem of today, we have chance to globally overcome these issues via the philosophy of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

From my point of view, the implementation of all these is dependent on the dialogue. I believe we will come closer to the peace and dialogue. Through dialogue, we will be able to approach more tolerant to our cultures, civilizations and conventions. With the help of the dialogue, we will be able to better comprehend the diversity by showing more respect to each other and conceiving the differences as our richness.

In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I sincerely express my desire that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, which I consider serving as locomotive for a peace and co-existence, will further develop its relations with the project of the Silk Road Economic Belt.  

The Marmara Group delegation including PhD. Akkan Suver, Mrs. Müjgan Suver, Şamil Ayrım, PhD. Fatih Recep Saraçoğlu and Ms. Hatice Aslı Yanardağ, having come to Romania for the PABSEC event, paid visits to the Presidents of Romania, H.E. Ion Iliescu and H.E. Emil Constantinescu and the Romanian Prince His Majesty Mr. Radu on their offices during their stay in Romania.

H.E. Emil Constantinescu –1996-2000, in Office – received the delegation of the Marmara Group Foundation in his Office.

H.E. Mr. Ion Iliescu, the 8th President of Romania gave an Offical Dinner in honour of the Marmara Group Foundation. The dinner was also joined by the Former Minister of Culture, H.E. Ionut Vulpescu and the Ambassador, H.E. Constatntin Grigorie.

The Romanian Prince H.E. Radu received the Marmara Group at the Elisabeth Palace.

The delegation of the Marmara Group together with Secretary General of PABSEC Prof. Dr. Asaf Hacıyev in front the Romanian Senate.