Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary General,
Excellencies,

I wish to start by extending our sincere congratulations to you, Dr. John Ashe, on your
assumption of the Presidency of the Sixty-Eighth Session of the UN General Assembly.

As we gathered here for this historic meeting, the news of terrorist attacks in Kenya, Iraq and
Pakistan have deeiÿly saddened us all. We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible
terms. At this hour of grief and great sorrow, our thoughts and prayers are with the families
of the deceased.
At the dawn of the 21st century, we had every reason to be optimistic about the future.
We saw the end of Cold War hostilities, and the moral balance of the world shifted towards
the pursuit of peace.
A lasting peace is far more than the mere absence of war. We, the international community,
understood the imperative of working together for a stable world order.
We maintained our strong commitment to the universal principles of the United Nations
system.
And, in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation, we developed effective international responses
to the scourge of terrorism.
Yet, the most profound crises of our times are emerging from internal conflicts. Such conflicts
have been increasing in both frequency and magnitude.
They are largely driven by the problem of political legitimacy, which leads the governed to
withhold their consent, and limits the prospects for domestic order.
Leaders without political legitimacy share a common delusion: instead of reading the future
and leading transformation, they believe they can buy time with irresponsible actions against
their own people.
Eventually, these domestic conflicts escalate into civil wars, such as the tragedy we are
witnessing in Syria.
The action of these leaders thus have implications for peace and security
beyond there own
borders.
If some leaders insist on defining their security in a way that inflicts insecurity upon other
nations, there can be no collective security.
Today, voglnnÿ! and infÿvnafinnal nonoo and ÿoonrifsr rlononcl upon fho mninfonnnee nf
domestic order in each individual nation.
True domestic peace is the key to regional and international peace and stability.
This is a challenge that we will continue to face in the years ahead.

Mr. President,

We all know that no one holds a monopoly on righteousness.
Yet, I would like to touch upon the function of the whole UN system.
We all need a strong, efficient, and credible UN.
We need a UN fit for purpose in the face of current global realities.
The UN of which I speak should be a body capable of taking action to maintain international
peace and security.

Mr. President,
Excellencies,

The current challenges of development are matters of global concern.
Turkey is now running a comprehensive assistance and direct investment package to the
world’s Least Developed Countries.
Humanitarian diplomacy is a key objective of Turkish foreign policy.
In fact, Turkey became the fourth-largest donor last year.
Including the contribution of the Turkish NGOs in the fields of health, education, and
capacity, building Turkey’s total humanitarian assistance reaches 2 billion US dollars per
year.
Our engagement in Somalia is an exemplary case. We have allocated 300 million US dollars so
far.
Our approach to Africa is one of equal partnership, and is best captured in the African
proverb which says: ’If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.’
For Turkey, relations with Africa remain a key priority.

Mr. President,
Distinguished Delegates,

Turkey is candidate for a non-permanent member seat of the UN Security Council for the
term 2015-2016.
If elected, Turkey will bring an independent voice to the Security Council; one that listens to
all and tries to find comprehensive and lasting solutions through dialogue.
We expect the support of all members for our candidacy.

Excellencies,
I believe the new millennium is one in which democracy, the rule of law, respect for human
rights, and global welfare will continue to expand. I believe that an international peace shaped
by freedom, justice, dignity, social progress, and economic welfare is within our reach.
We must join our strength to build an enduring international order worthy of the principles
of the UN Charter.
A stable, secure, and prosperous world is the best way to secure and advance all our interests.
Achieving such a world remains our fundamental responsibility to our nations.
Thank you.

Abdullah Gül