Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am happy to host the Turkish National
Day Reception today, marking the 98th anniversary of the proclamation of the
Republic of Turkey.

It is such a relief to be able to meet
colleagues and friends in numbers again. Due to the pandemic, we did not have
this opportunity last year. Thus, I would like to start my words by expressing
my best wishes for a better world free from such diseases in the future. I
would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all of you for being with us
today, sharing our Republic Day, pride and joy of the Turkish nation. I wish
you all, a heartfelt welcome.

Dear
guests,

The Turkish Republic was declared 98
years ago on the 29^thof October 1923. This was three years after
the inauguration of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, crowning
Turkish War of Independence following the First World War. Since then, the Turkish
Republic has been a source of inspiration for modernism and independence against
colonialism.

I would like to take this opportunity to
commemorate the founder of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his
compatriots for their incredible leadership in forming modern Turkey. I also
stand in respect to all our fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives defending
our homeland.

Dear
friends,

In preparation of these remarks, I went
back to check the last one I made two years ago. What I noticed with regret is that
I need repeating some of those points. This need can be attached mainly to
three facts:

-First, many of the conflicts in our
region persist today.

-Second, some new crises have resurged
and we directly feel their impacts,

-Third, our expectations for solidarity
from allies and European friends have not been met, if not deteriorated.

There is a basic fact we consider: For
the Republic of Turkey to remain a well-functioning democracy based on common
global values to which we all aspire, it has to remain safe and stable first. Our
friends and allies should not need troubles knocking on their doors before they
appreciate our role as a front line and a buffer to these troubles that we have
been shouldering.

On the serious issues we face in the region
around us, we have demonstrated our resilience and determination when our
national security and sovereignty is at stake. Our unique aim is to ensure our security
and stability so that we can live and prosper; nothing else.

Dear
colleagues,

We are open to diplomatic initiatives
and negotiations as long as they are inclusive and our point of view is truthfully
considered. We expect our partners to listen to us with some empathy and look
at the causes of the actions we take before judging us with their consequences.

Turkey continues to be a significant
partner of Europe in humanitarian issues such as refugee flows, but our
capacity in dealing with this international problem on our own has reached its
limits. Unfortunately, we can’t see even a fraction of the eagerness in assuming
some real responsibility in sharing this burden, compared to the one shown in
criticizing us for not doing better.

One issue that worries me the most is the
failure of media, NGOs and activists in appreciating the realities we are surrounded
by and living in. Instead, they are keen to push forward a rather distorted version
of what happens around us, knowingly or recklessly. While activism obviously have
a part to contribute in the formation of public opinion, if roles are mixed-up,
this may eventually harm international relations as NGO style activism and
mediatic attitude of “flaming-up whatever sells” are not compatible with the
sensible nature of the conduct of foreign relations.

We will meticulously keep on trying to
explain our choices to our friends on demand. We have an explanation of these
policies but respect that if someone disagrees. Our point is that we can always
find ways of agreement if we talk to each other properly.

As most of us are diplomats here, I hope
that this point, which goes into the very existence of the “relevance” of our profession,
would be understood and appreciated here better than elsewhere.

Distinguished
guests, Dear Friends,

Before concluding, I would also like to
briefly touch upon the good and friendly relations between Turkey and Norway.

First of all, let me express my best
wishes for the new Government under the leadership of His Excellency Prime
Minister Jonas Gahr Störe. We look forward to continue our efforts for
strengthening our cooperation with our colleagues in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs under “new management” led by Her Excellency Minister Anniken
Huitfeldt.

Turkish-Norwegian diplomatic relations
were established in 1926, three years after the founding of the Republic of
Turkey.

Today, as flank countries of NATO and
non-EU allies, we share many similar positions with Norway, even though we live
in a much more difficult geography. We give utmost importance to our NATO
alliance.

In the coming period, we will work to
keep the momentum, which we have gained in our relations with the successful State
Visit to Turkey of Their
Majesties the King and Queen of Norway in 2013 andour
Foreign Minister’s visit to Oslo in 2019.

We are also glad that after the pandemic
is more under control, Turkey is becoming once again a leading favorite holiday
destination for hundreds of thousands of Norwegians. We also note with great
satisfaction that Turkish-Norwegian trade has actually performed very well even
under Covid-19 situations.

We are confident that our relations will
go further in the upcoming periods with the help of both Turkish and Norwegian
efforts.

Every state has its own difficulties and
characteristics. What matters is that we share common values such as rule of
law and democracy and that we aspire a better life for our nations.

As an ally and a friend, we will
continue to welcome dialogue and take fair and constructive criticism into
account from Norway and other partners. That is the only way it works.

Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,

As we are here to celebrate today, I
will not take more of your time and would like to greet you once again with my
sincere regards and thank you for your presence.