Every September is a time of intense activity at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, as one session of the General Assembly draws to a close and a new one begins. This year is certainly not an exception.

The U.N. agenda covers a vast spectrum of issues under the main pillars of maintenance of security, the advancement of sustainable development and the promotion of human rights. These are all of great interest to the international community as a whole and to Turkey individually.

As the international environment evolves in a very dynamic manner and every day we are presented with new challenges as well as opportunities, the international community cannot afford to only try and keep up with the changes taking place, but must spare no effort to lead the changes and to mold them in a way that will be to our collective benefit.

In that regard, the United Nations holds a central place as the only universal organization bringing together 193 nations around common values, principles and goals. We are committed to making sure that it continuously makes progress in achieving its objectives. In this regard, Turkey feels itself particularly well placed. It is not an overstatement to claim that the emergence of new challenges to international security has placed Turkey at the center of a host of conventional and asymmetrical risks and threats characterizing a vast geography ranging from the Balkans to the Middle East, from the Black Sea and the Mediterranean to the Caucasus and farther into Asia.

During the high-level debate that marks the opening of the 66th session of the General Assembly and at the various multilateral and bilateral meetings that will take place on the margins of this debate, we will have ample opportunity to consult with other international actors and to pronounce ourselves on a host of issues. Our agenda will cover multiple topics, but for purposes of brevity, let me touch upon a few of our priorities.

It will come as no surprise that the many complex, dynamic and intertwined issues of the Middle East and North Africa will figure prominently both in the multilateral setting and also in our bilateral deliberations at the U.N. General Assembly. The “Arab Spring” has irreversibly set in motion a historic process of transformation. Tunisia, Egypt and now Libya are joining others in the quest for genuine democracy in the Arab world.

Needless to say, political evolution has to benefit the people. Change must be for the better. Every nation will chart its own course, devising constitutional frameworks to suit their specific needs. But the goal must be to bring about open societies where everyone, regardless of ethnicity, religion or sect, can live harmoniously side by side, in dignity, liberty and prosperity.

Turkey, as an advocate of democracy, pluralism, human rights and fundamental freedoms in the region, owes it to itself and its history to bring its positive influence to bear. This is why we will continue to rise to the occasion wherever and whenever we can make a difference. Turkey will not waver in its support for those who peacefully ask for a chance to participate in the creation of a brighter future. Turkey will stand against those who use force to suppress the masses who demand change. This is a promise that is not made lightly. The Turkish people expect no less.

Many specific issues pertaining to this wider region will be at the forefront of our discussions in the U.N. Ensuring success in the post-conflict phase in Libya with the U.N. in the lead is one such priority area for Turkey, which has already played a major role in helping Libyans overcome their challenges since the revolution began some seven months ago. Addressing the tragic developments in Syria, where the excessive use of force against civilians continues on a daily basis will also be an important agenda item. In tandem with these, we will also have the chance to talk about Iraq, Lebanon and the absence of any progress in the Middle East Process as priorities, among others.

A historic initiative

Of all these, one issue will stand. The Palestinian drive to elevate its status at the U.N. to that of a state will be the major highlight of the General Assembly. Turkey is proud to support this historic initiative. We continue to support a negotiated two-state solution based on well-established parameters and in that context, believe it is high time for the State of Palestine to enter the international family of nations based on the 1967 borders as a full-fledged U.N. member, with all the rights and responsibilities that apply.

The tragic flotilla incident and the crimes Israel perpetrated on the high seas in the dark of night on May 31, 2010, will also be high on our agenda at the U.N. Turkey is determined, with the support of the international community, to pursue this matter politically and legally to its rightful and just conclusion. No state is above international law. The many high-level contacts we will have at the U.N. will allow us to prepare the groundwork for the steps we intend to take both at the U.N. and elsewhere to ensure that justice is done and Israel’s transgressions, whether in the eastern Mediterranean Sea or in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, are not left unchecked.

What is unfolding in Somalia is a humanitarian tragedy of epic proportions and we cannot and shall not remain indifferent to it. Last year at the Somalia Conference in Istanbul, the secretary-general named Turkey as the “partner of the U.N.” in Somalia. Our long engagement in this country reached its peak with the visit of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last month. We gladly observe that this visit made the desired impact in so far as attracting the attention of the international community to the famine and poverty suffered by the people of Somalia for over two decades. It will be one of our main priorities during the General Assembly this year and therefore, we are glad for the emphasis placed on this issue by the United Nations.

On Sept. 23, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will organize a mini-summit on Somalia, to which 23 countries including Turkey have been invited. At this meeting, the participating delegations will agree on the way forward in Somalia. The meeting, in that sense, will provide the opportunity to discuss the political road map for political transition and mobilize international support for its implementation as well as the economic recovery of this war-torn country. Likewise we shall actively take part in the ministerial meetings of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC, Contact Group meeting on Somalia as well as that of the Office of the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, on the humanitarian response to the famine in the Horn of Africa.

The key importance of sustainable growth

As the multi-dimensional character of the new security environment has changed, the areas that require strong and robust U.N. engagement have also substantially multiplied. One can no longer talk only of traditional military challenges to peace and security but has to realize that underdevelopment and poverty can also be major impediments. Sustainable growth and development is vital to global prosperity, peace and security.

It is the collective responsibility of the international community to urgently address the current development needs and challenges with a view to achieving the international development goals, in particular the Millennium Development Goals. The U.N. has a leading role in this regard. Turkey is committed to sharing the burdens of developing countries in their sustainable development efforts. Our interest in the vulnerabilities of developing countries, the Least Developed Countries, or LDCs, in particular, must be seen within the broader context of our foreign policy agenda, as a long-term and high-priority objective. It is with this understanding that Turkey hosted the 4th Conference on the LDCs in Istanbul on May 9-13. The 4th Conference produced the Istanbul Programme of Action, or IPoA, which is a comprehensive, forward-looking and ambitious document focusing on all fundamental aspects of development challenges of the LDCs. The hallmark of the IPoA is an emphasis on productive capacity and infrastructure.

In the next decade, Turkey is going to be the voice of 900 million people of the LDCs on relevant international platforms and will follow and monitor the implementation of the IPoA. Furthermore, Turkey will continue to extend comprehensive financial and technical assistance to the LDCs as announced by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, prime minister of the Republic of Turkey, during the Istanbul Conference.

In concord with the sincere and intense efforts we are making through the United Nations system to ensure political stability, economic prosperity and cultural harmony in both our vicinity and beyond, we also want to serve as a base for the United Nations. Our vision is to make Istanbul a United Nations hub, a United Nations City. Few cities can rival the opportunities Istanbul offers in terms of infrastructure, location, historical background and cultural fabric. Hosting more and more major international conferences and other organizations and already the seat of the UNFPA Regional Office, we wish to see Istanbul become one of the United Nations’ major thematic centers.

The General Assembly meetings will give us a chance to promote our candidature to the United Nations Security Council for the term of 2015-2016. Turkey served on the council until the end of December last year and was recognized for its responsible, committed and impartial service. Believing that the changes taking place in the world and in particular in the neighborhood around us require the injection in the council’s deliberations the perspective of a country mindful of multifaceted aspects of many current complex issues, we felt compelled to seek a new term.

And last but not least, we will host a meeting together with Finland on mediation activities and participate in a meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations. These are two issues that we have been at the forefront of for some time and will keep pursuing.

There are other topics from climate change to the fight against terrorism, from nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation to the promotion of human rights that will also be on our agenda. It is without a question that we will actively contribute to all of these subjects and make sure that the U.N. remains a venue where we not only consult and discuss, but also act jointly upon the challenges facing all of us.

/Hurriyet Daily News/