President Gül Hosts Official Dinner in Honor of Izetbegovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
12.05.2014
President Gül, hosting an official dinner in honor of Chairman Izetbegovic of the Presidential Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, declared that Turkey will continue to stand by Bosnia and Herzegovina in all platforms, maintaining: “Our biggest wish is that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, our brothers and sisters, erase the traces of the agonies of the past and reach a happier, more peaceful and more prosperous future.”
President Abdullah Gül hosted an official dinner in honor of Chairman Bakir Izetbegovic of the Presidential Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
LOOKING TO FUTURE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA WITH HOPE
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President said, is a very special country located at the heart of Europe and noted that “it hosts a mosque, a Catholic cathedral, an Orthodox church and a Jewish synagogue in perfect harmony, as it has done throughout its history. With its multicultural and multireligious structure, it enjoys a culture in which the best examples of tolerance and mutual respect and peace are demonstrated.”
The President further reiterated that the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha and the Mostar Bridges, both of which are important works of “our common history, not only connect the two sides of the rivers over which they were built but also bind together the differences that reflect the richness of the social mosaic in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Keeping this deep-rooted tradition alive in the strongest way is crucial in terms of both overcoming the existing problems Bosna and Herzegovina is faced with and enabling it to have a well-functioning state structure. Moreover, the existence of sagacious and farsighted leadership like that Your Excellency has inherited from the late Aliya Izetbegovic helps us to look to the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina with hope.”
ROBUST TIES BETWEEN TURKEY AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
President Gül pointed out that the relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina date back to the 15th century and maintained that the universal tolerance of Mehmet the Conqueror, who signed the Foynitsa Agreement, and Sultan Abdülaziz, who played a vital role in the construction of the Sarajevo Orthodox Church, brings together the two peoples on a common ground. Turkey, he said, has always underscored the importance of respecting the sovereignty and political and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Our peoples are connected to each other through deep-rooted historic, human and cultural ties. We are determined to advance our relations on this strong foundation. Turkey stands at an equal distance to all segments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our biggest wish is that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, our brothers and sisters, erase the traces of the agonies of the past and reach a happier, more peaceful and more prosperous future. We believe that the problems Bosnia and Herzegovina is faced with can be settled more easily under the roof of NATO and the EU. Therefore, we strongly support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s integration with the European-Atlantic institutions. We would like to see Bosnia and Herzegovina as a country that has successfully completed the reform processes including the defense field and that enjoys a more stable and well-functioning state structure. Overcoming hesitations and insecurities on the road is also of great importance in terms of the economic development. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which for centuries has created harmony and peace from diversities and differences has the necessary strength and capabilities to achieve the same today as well as long as all the segments there continue to make efforts sincerely and with good intentions. We hope that the upcoming elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina serve as a turning point and that the necessary reforms are implemented in the shortest time. It will be a guarantee of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s brighter future that in this process all the segments preserve their cultures and identities and act in union and solidarity.”
