How can tourism and hospitality industry bring Türkiye and Indonesia closer?

Türkiye and Indonesia have deeply rooted historical relations going back to the 16th century. Not only historical memories are shared by these two countries but also cultural and civilizational values that shape their identities and traditions. Both countries are Muslim majority nations with a strong commitment to democracy, pluralism, diversity and rule of law. 

Türkiye and Indonesia have a lot to offer to international visitors ranging from culinary cultures, archaeological sites, traditional and modern architecture, green trekking routes, beaches with golden sands and clean sea, underwater sports and exploration. Both countries have an enormous potential to be explored in tourism and hospitality industry that would bring peoples of these two friendly countries even closer. Now, it time to focus on discussing how to further bilateral tourism and human to human interactions between Türkiye and Indonesia.

 

Türkiye had received 60 million international tourists in 2025, generating 61 billion USD in revenue. Indonesia on the other hand has received 14 million international visitors whose number is increasing year on year. In 2024, 200 000 Indonesians visited Türkiye while just over 50 000 Turks visited Indonesia, mostly to Bali.

 

Given the size of populations of Türkiye and Indonesia, number of visitors from these friendly countries with many shared values and traditions would be much higher if systematic projects are implemented on both sides. In this context, recent visa exemption decision by the Indonesian government for Turkish citizen is a welcome development that would motivate more Turks to visit Indonesia.

 

As the Ambassador of Türkiye to Indonesia, I am very pleased to state that there is a strong will on the part of both countries to invest more time and energy to improve and strengthen relations in tourism and hospitality industry. I had very optimistic messages and encouraging signs when I met HE Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, Minister of Tourism of Indonesia on 19.09.2025 in her office to this effect.

 

I am thankful to her for her warm welcome and openness to share her ideas and views about Türkiye and Indonesia relations. During our meeting Minister Wardhana emphasized the historical foundations of bilateral relations between our countries. In fact, she noted that Türkiye and Indonesia share deep historical ties as well as shared cultural values ​​that would contribute to the tourism sector.

 

Underlining the strength of our relations, Minister Wardhana reminded us that relations between Türkiye and Indonesia date back to the 16th century, noting that the Ottoman Empire opened a consulate general in Batavia, now known as Jakarta, in the 1880s. Minister Wardhana made reference to the broader areas of relations emphasising that Türkiye and Indonesia are close allies, working together within the UN, OIC, MIKTA, and D8.

 

In fact, the Ottoman Consulate in Jakarta remained open until early 1920s and played a bridging role between Turks and Indonesians. All the correspondence between the Ottoman Consulate in Indonesia and the Ottoman Court in Istanbul are well preserved in the archives and accessible for researchers who are interested in the history of Sultanates of Indonesia and Ottoman Empire. The archival materials are also important sources of social, political and economic situation and developments as observed and reported by the Ottoman Consul Generals during their service. As the Embassy of Türkiye we will place a marble plaque at the entrance of current Textile Museum with an inscription that this building served as the Office and residence of the Honorary Ottoman Consul in 1881. I hope that this plaque will be a constant reminder of our deep rooted relations.

 

Minister Wardhana said, during our meeting, that Indonesia has been closely following Türkiye's successes in the tourism sector. As far as the new initiatives to boost tourism in Indonesia in concerned, she said that new tourism destinations have been identified in Indonesia and that international airports have been opened to provide access to these new destinations. She stated that Indonesia would like to develop cooperation opportunities with Türkiye in attracting to more visitors drawing on her country's experience and knowledge especially in the fields of halal hospitality and healing tourism. She added that Indonesian personnel trained in healing practices could be employed in Türkiye’s hospitality industry.

 

During the meeting with the Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, I have summarized the recent high level visits noting that that HE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and HE President Prabowo Subianto met twice, first in Jakarta and second in Ankara, in the first quarter of 2025, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Indonesia. The first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held in Bogor, and 15 agreements were signed during the both meetings. I have explained that Türkiye has a very strong tourism infrastructure, making significant progress in areas such as transportation, accommodation, gastronomy, and the employment of qualified personnel.

 

I am happy to state that I share Minister Wardhana’s view on co-operation in halal tourism as both our countries are majority Muslim countries that offer halal certified products and supporting halal tourism, which reflects shared cultural values, would be beneficial to increase the number of visitors on both sides. I also noted that cities like Konya, Kayseri, Bursa, and Mardin, in addition to Istanbul, could also attract Indonesians' interest in cultural and spiritual tourism.

 

As Türkiye has a very reputable and strong health services industry, I also stated that Türkiye's healthcare system and institutions provide high-quality services, that Indonesians can safely receive reliable and affordable diagnostic and treatment services from private and public healthcare facilities in Türkiye, and that Türkiye is open to joint projects to support health tourism.

 

Türkiye’s success story in tourism is a result of careful long term planning and investment. This is what I shared with Minister Wardhana, stating that Türkiye's Green Star program, launched in 2008, and the Safe Tourism Certificate Program launched during the COVID-19 pandemic have had positive impacts on the tourism sector in Türkiye. I also touched on the Zero Waste project, initiated by HE First Lady Emine Erdoğan, which made a positive impact on particularly in terms of green transformation and sustainability in tourism and hospitality industry. I added that similar initiatives might also positively contribute to Indonesian tourism and that Türkiye would be pleased to share its Zero Waste experiences.

 

With the Minister Wardhana we also discussed increasing reciprocal investments, Turkish Airlines' request to double the number of flights to Jakarta, initiating exchange programs between educational institutions specializing in tourism, participating as guests of honour at tourism fairs, and expanding and updating the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism, signed in 1993. We agreed to continue to share our experience and work together to strengthen bilateral relations in tourism and hospitality sectors.

 

Talip Küçükcan

Ambassador of Türkiye to Indonesia

@tkucukcan

Two Democracies, A Shared Horizon: Türkiye and Indonesia’s Global Vision

 

Two Democracies, A Shared Horizon: Türkiye and Indonesia’s Global Vision

An Interview with Talip Küçükcan, Ambassador of Türkiye to Indonesia

In the context of the growing cooperation on a global scale between two major Muslim countries such as Türkiye and Indonesia, how do you think this friendship can serve as a model of solidarity not only between the peoples of the two nations but also within the broader Islamic world?

With their geographical and geostrategic positions, abundant resources and capabilities, economic weight, growing influence, and shared demands for reform of the prevailing global order, Türkiye and Indonesia are building a model of interaction and solidarity that extends well beyond their national borders. Türkiye, as a bridge between Europe and Asia and a country located at the intersection of the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, and Eurasia, possesses a broad sphere of influence. Indonesia, meanwhile, as the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country and the leading economic and military power of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), wields considerable influence across a vast region. Moreover, both countries’ approaches to addressing global challenges largely converge. Taken together, these dynamics suggest that the positive diplomatic relations, which have recently reached a peak, hold the potential to lead a wider network of solidarity between the two nations. In recent years, education diplomacy has emerged as a key instrument of soft power in international relations.

What opportunities do universities, academic exchanges, and student mobility programs between Türkiye and Indonesia offer? In your view, what further steps can be taken to foster stronger cooperation in this field?

Education diplomacy has become a phenomenon of growing significance on a global scale. As of 2024, records show that 6.3 million international students worldwide correspond to an economy worth 350 billion dollars. Both the number of international students and the economic value they generate continue to rise steadily. Currently, Türkiye hosts 330,000 international students.

Among these students, there are 5,500 Indonesians, and as the interaction between our universities continues to grow, this number is expected to rise further, thereby accelerating the rapprochement between the two countries. Indonesian students who come to Türkiye either through scholarships provided by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and various foundations, or through their own means, along with academics visiting Türkiye through exchange programs, serve as an important bridge. From the very beginning of my tenure as Ambassador, we have taken initiatives to enhance cooperation opportunities between our universities. Through these efforts, the Türkiye Maarif Foundation has established a Türkiye Studies Center within the University of Indonesia, while the Yunus Emre Institute has also launched Turkish language programs at various universities. At this point, it is also important to emphasize the collaborations established and developed in the fields of scientific and technological research through universities. Furthermore, it should be noted that the contributions of Türkiye’s alumni to bilateral relations have now begun to emerge more visibly. Considering all these dimensions, I would also like to add that increasing the number of scholarships allocated by YTB to Indonesia would be highly beneficial.

 In your view, how can closer people-to-people ties between Türkiye and Indonesia be fostered through the universal language of culture and the arts? What are your thoughts on potential projects that could be developed around shared heritage, traditions, and cultural diversity?

The relations between Türkiye and Indonesia date back to the 16th century. The ties established centuries ago between the Ottoman Empire and the Sultanate of Aceh have been passed down from generation to generation, remaining vivid in the collective memory. This year, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Culture and the arts represent a vital richness, both in these celebrations and in the broader development of bilateral ties. For instance, with this purpose in mind, we have organized a series of exhibitions. The building that today serves as the Jakarta Textile Museum once functioned as the residence and office of the Ottoman Empire’s first Honorary Consul.

In consultation with the museum administration, we expressed our wish to place a marble plaque at the entrance of the building, and they kindly accepted. Very soon, a plaque will be installed at the entrance of the Jakarta Textile Museum to remind all visitors of this historical fact indeed, of the profound historical depth of our relations. Turkish TV series are among the most watched in Indonesia, which is highly significant in terms of our cultural diplomacy. Based on our observations, filming certain episodes of these series in Indonesia could further multiply the local interest in Turkish productions.

Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Mr. Fadli Zon, is both a cultural figure and a politician who attaches special importance to and feels a strong affinity with Türkiye. A cultural cooperation agreement has recently been signed between the two countries. Moreover, during meetings between our ministers, it was agreed in principle to launch a joint film project. We are now awaiting the commencement of discussions between the relevant institutions regarding the details of this project.

How can a synergy be established between Türkiye’s “Asia Anew” initiative and Indonesia’s “Global Maritime Fulcrum” strategy? In what ways can these visions of the two countries contribute to regional peace and development?

Indonesia, as the world’s largest archipelagic state with vast maritime boundaries, has placed its “Global Maritime Fulcrum” (Poros Maritim Dunia) policy at the core of its foreign strategy, a vision comparable to Türkiye’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine. This policy, aimed at safeguarding maritime borders and securing economic resources particularly revenues from fisheries has made Indonesia’s presence in the Indo-Pacific more visible. In broad terms, the Global Maritime Fulcrum approach emphasizes a stronger focus on maritime trade in the increasingly competitive Indo-Pacific region, the modernization of existing ports and the construction of new ones, as well as the strengthening of maritime security, transportation, and trade infrastructure. The primary expectation from this strategy is to contribute to Indonesia’s economic development and defense, placing the sea at the center of the country’s national interests. Türkiye’s “Asia Anew” initiative, designed as a broad-based opening that also encompasses Indonesia, aligns with this perspective.

The overlaps between Türkiye’s “Blue Homeland” vision—along with its military, commercial, and energy exploration investments in the maritime domain—and Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum strategy are striking. Both countries continue to pursue their maritime cooperation in ways that complement their respective capacities and capabilities. In the medium and long term, the Asia Anew initiative holds the potential to further strengthen the foundations of cooperation in maritime affairs, enabling the two countries’ joint efforts at sea to make even greater contributions to regional and global peace and stability.

Indonesia holds a prominent leadership position within ASEAN. How do you assess Indonesia’s role in Türkiye’s relations with ASEAN? In this context, what opportunities stand out in the field of multilateral diplomacy?

Indonesia holds the position of being the ASEAN country with the largest population, economy, and influence. As the host country of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia carries significant weight in diplomatic relations with ASEAN.

At present, Türkiye maintains its relations with ASEAN as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner, and we have also submitted our application for Dialogue Partnership. We conducted face-toface meetings with the permanent representatives of all ten ASEAN member states to seek their support. Both Malaysia, as the Chair, and Indonesia, as the host country of ASEAN, expressed their full support. The permanent representatives of the 10 member states also indicated their endorsement of Türkiye’s application for Dialogue Partnership. Undoubtedly, Indonesia’s expression of commitment in this regard is of great value to us. Türkiye’s engagement with ASEAN is important not only from a diplomatic perspective but also in terms of strengthening our economic relations with its population of nearly 700 million, whose purchasing power is steadily increasing. We continue to advance in this direction.

Trade and investment serve as the driving force of relations between the two countries. What concrete steps are being taken to advance free trade agreements between Türkiye and Indonesia and to build bridges among business communities? As an Ambassador serving in Indonesia, what opportunities and advantages would you recommend to Turkish business people and entrepreneurs in this vast market? In particular, what potential do you see in the fields of digitalization, green transformation, and sustainability?

The bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Indonesia is currently around 3 billion dollars, falling short of the 10 billion dollar target set by the leaders of the two countries. However, in the past year or two, the growing interest in and demand for defense industry products has brought us to the threshold of a significant leap in trade volume. The absence of a free trade agreement between Türkiye and Indonesia naturally affects the scale of bilateral trade, as our trade with countries that do have such agreements is considerably higher. Nevertheless, rather than perceiving this as an obstacle, we are focused on exploring ways to generate solutions.

We proposed to the Indonesian side the signing of a Preferential Trade Agreement, and this proposal was welcomed, with the first round of exploratory consultations already held. We hope that in the near future such an agreement, covering products to be mutually agreed upon, can be concluded, as there currently appear to be no obstacles in this regard. In addition, to enhance commercial interaction, we are bringing together Indonesian counterparts both at the ministerial level and through our umbrella organizations such as the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM).

We are also encouraging our producers to participate in trade fairs held in Indonesia. With its economy growing at an annual rate of 5 percent, Indonesia is an important attraction point for investors. We are encouraging mutual investments in strong sectors from both countries. For example, during our meeting with the Indonesian Minister of Investment, we invited the newly established Danantara Investment Fund holding assets worth 900 billion dollars to consider investing in Türkiye in sectors such as defense, transportation, tourism, food, energy, and health. In the coming days, we will continue to deepen our discussions in this direction. At the same time, we regularly provide information to our relevant institutions in Türkiye regarding investment opportunities in Indonesia, asking them to share these insights with their stakeholders.

The young populations of both countries are highly dynamic and productive. Are there any initiatives supported or planned by your embassy to enable our youth to get to know each other more closely and to take part in joint projects?

Indonesia has a population of 280 million, 52 percent of whom are under the age of thirty. This means a very large portion of the population is in its most productive years, making it critical that they receive quality education sufficient to enable their participation in production. As Türkiye, we are striving to contribute to the education of youth through the scholarships we provide and will continue to provide. To increase their interaction with Turkish youth, we also host Indonesian students in Türkiye through the Yunus Emre Institute and civil society organizations. At present, the 5,500 Indonesian students studying at Turkish universities are already interacting with their Turkish peers. This can be further strengthened through the initiatives of our rectors. If our universities could implement projects that bring not only Indonesian students but also the more than 330,000 international students together with their Turkish peers and families, the resulting cultural and human interaction would leave a much deeper impact.

Indonesia’s spicy and aromatic cuisine and the rich diversity of Turkish gastronomy share many similarities and complementarities. If a diplomatic gastronomy project were to be designed to bring these two culinary traditions together, which flavors do you think could take the lead in this dialogue?

Every year, as the Embassy, we organize special programs in Indonesia to introduce Turkish cuisine, our coffee culture, and breakfast traditions. For this purpose, we occasionally invite well-known chefs from Türkiye to present a variety of dishes, desserts, and beverages. For example, in 2025 Chef Recep İncecik came to Jakarta and delivered outstanding presentations. Officials, artists, media representatives, and gastronomy experts who attended the tastings expressed their admiration.

Chef Recep İncecik also gave a lecture at a culinary school, teaching aspiring chefs about our traditional dishes while placing special emphasis on the concept of zero waste. In addition, he appeared on a live broadcast of Sea Today TV, preparing and serving Turkish dishes.

As the Embassy, we also hosted Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Mr. Fadli Zon, and his delegation at a traditional Turkish iftar during Ramadan. For the first time worldwide, a minister paid an official visit to the Yunus Emre Institute and attended the iftar program we organized. During the event, Minister Fadli Zon also enjoyed a highly impressive live performance of the whirling dervishes. In this way, traditional elements of Turkish cuisine were presented at the highest level to Indonesia.

Indonesia also possesses a remarkably rich culinary culture. As a country made up of thousands of islands, each region has its own distinct dishes, contributing to a diverse gastronomic heritage. Naturally, Indonesia’s identity as a land of spices continues to draw the world’s attention today, just as it did in the past. Rice and an abundance of spices are indispensable elements of Indonesian cuisine. Considering the richness of both countries’ food and beverage traditions, it is clear that there is great potential to create a fusion cuisine. However, it would be more appropriate to leave the question of how to bring forth a shared flavor from these two culinary traditions to the expertise of professionals in the field.

Drawing on both your academic background and your diplomatic experience, how do you think this friendship can be further strengthened with a new regional and global vision as we approach the 2030s?

In 2022, a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was established between Türkiye and Indonesia. The first meeting of this council took place in February 2025 during the visit of our President to Indonesia, with the participation of numerous ministers from both sides. During this summit, comprehensive discussions were held, and 12 cooperation agreements were signed. In April, Indonesian President Mr. Prabowo Subianto paid a visit to Ankara, during which additional agreements were concluded.

At this point, it would not be an exaggeration to say that diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Indonesia have reached a historic peak. The task ahead is to ensure the effective implementation of the agreements signed, to make the best use of new opportunities, and to systematically maintain and enhance both face-to-face and institutional engagements. If these steps are taken, by the 2030s our relations will become much stronger, and their regional and global implications will be felt even more clearly.

In this period when a multipolar order is taking shape at the global level, what contribution do you think regional powers such as Türkiye and Indonesia can make to the construction of a “just and inclusive international system”?

Türkiye has long shared with the world its vision that “a more just world is possible” and that “the world is bigger than five,” working toward reforming the established international order to make it more inclusive and representative. Indonesia, as a country pursuing a neutral and effective foreign policy, has in recent years begun to voice similar positions. Acting together, and with the participation and support of other like-minded stakeholders, both countries hold significant potential to contribute to the construction of a “just and inclusive international system.”

This interview is published in E-Newsletter, August 2025, by World Academy for Local Government and Democracy (WALD)

 

Çin daha yakından takip etmeli ve ilişkilerimizi geliştirmeliyiz

Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti ziyaretimizi 31 Ekim-3 Kasım 2016 tarihlerinde gerçekleştirdik. Ancak bloğumuz aktif olmadığı için yaptığımız konuşmalar ve görüşmelere ilişkin bilgileri paylaşma imkanı olmadı. Ziyaret sırasında ele alınan konular hala güncelliğini koruyor. Bu nedenle paylaşmanın yararlı olduğunu düşünüyorum. Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti dünyanın güçlü ekonomilerinden ve dış politika ön plana çıkarmadığı faaliyetleri var. Çin daha yakın takip edilmesi ve ilişkilerimizin geliştirilmesi gereken bir ülke.

Çin’de farklı kurum ziyaretleri gerçekleştirdik ve her kurumda Türkiye’nin iç ve dış politikasını içeren konuşmalar yaptık, soruları cevapladık. Sırasıyla aşağıdaki etkinlikleri gerçekleştirdik.

31 Ekim 2016

Çin Devlet Konseyi Kalkınma Araştırma Merkezi Ortadoğu uzmanları ile yaptığımız toplantıda ülkemizin iç ve dış siyasetine ilişkin gelişmeler hakkında görüş alışverişinde bulunduk. 15 Temmuz darbe girişimi, bu girişimin arkasındaki FETÖ yapılanması hakkında detaylı bilgiler paylaştık. FETÖ’nün Çin’in güvenliği ve iki ülke arasındaki ilişkiler açısından tehdit olduğunu, bu yapı mensuplarının Çin’de faaliyetlerinin durdurulması gerektiğini ve mücadele işbirliğinin önemini vurguladık.

Şangay Üniversitesi Türkiye Araştırmaları Merkezi Direktörü Profesör Guo Changgang ile gerçekleştirdiğimiz görüşmede Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti’nde Türk dili ve edebiyatı ile Türkiye araştırmalarının geliştirilmesi, bu amaçla kaynak temini, öğrenci ve öğretim üyesi değişimi projeleri üzerinde durduk. Çin’de Türkiye’ye yönelik ilginin arttığını memnuniyetle müşahede ettik.

Şangay Üniversitesi’nde ‘Türkiye Siyaseti ve Küresel Etkileri’ konulu bir konferans verdik. Üniversite öğretim üyeleri, araştırmacılar ve lisansüstü öğrencilerin katıldığı konferansta ülkemizin dış politikası, bölgesel güvenlik ve terörle mücadele stratejisi bağlamında Suriye ve Irak’ta izlediği politikaları anlattık. Özellikle insani diplomaside atılan adımları ve enerji arzı bakımından ülkemizin bir enerji koridoruna dönüştüğünü ve bunların küresel etkilerini anlattık. 15 Temmuz darbe girişimi ve FETÖ yapılanmasına özellikle dikkat çekerek bu örgütün kara propagandasına karşı dikkatli olunması gerektiğini ifade ettik.  Üniversite çevrelerinin de Türkiye’nin artan önemine ilgi gösterdiklerini gözlemledik.

Şangay Uluslararası Araştırmalar Üniversitesi’nde Uluslararası İlişkiler ve Kamu Politikaları Fakültesi Dekanı Profesör Guo Shuyong ile bir araya gelerek Türk ve Çin üniversiteleri arasındaki işbirliği imkanlarının artırılmasına ilişkin görüş alışverişinde bulunduk. Profesör Shuyong bu konuda istekli olduklarını, öğretim üyesi ve öğrenci değişim programlarını hayata geçirmek istediklerini ifade etti.

Şangay Uluslararası Araştırmalar Üniversitesi’nde Uluslararası İlişkiler ve Kamu Politikaları Fakültesi öğretim üyeleri ve lisansüstü öğrencilerinin katıldığı toplantıda ‘Türk Dış Politikasında Devamlılık ve Değişimler’ konulu bir seminer verdik. Seminerde soğuk savaş öncesi ve sonrası Türk dış politikasına yön veren etkileri, Türkiye’nin AB, Ortadoğu, Afrika ve Latin Amerika açılımlarını, Rusya ve İran ile olan ilişkilerini değerlendirdik. Türkiye’nin bölgesel güvenlik ve istikrara verdiği önemin altında çizerek DEAŞ, PKK, PYD ve FETÖ’nün barış ve güvenliği tehdit ettiğini vurguladık.

1 Kasım 2016

Şangay Uluslararası Araştırmalar Enstitüsü Direktörü Dr. Chen Dongxiau ile bir araya geldik, ve Ortadoğu uzmanlarının katıldığı bir yuvarlak masa toplantısı gerçekleştirdik. Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti’nin 100’den fazla uzman istihdam bu önemli düşünce kuruluşunda yapılan toplantıda Türk-Çin ilişkileri, muhtemel işbirliği alanları, iç ve dış politikadaki gelişmeler, darbe girişiminde bulunanlara karşı alınan önlemler ve FETÖ ile mücadelede işbirliği konularını tartıştık.

2 Kasım 2016

Pekin Üniversitesi Yabancı Diller Fakültesi Dekan Yardımcısı Profesör Fu Zhiming ile bir araya gelerek bu üniversitede Türkçe öğretimi ve Türkiyat araştırmalarının geliştirilmesi imkanlarını ele aldık. Araştırma Merkezi’nde Arap dünyasına yoğunlaşıldığını, Türkiye uzmanı olmadığını müşahede ettik.

Pekin Üniversitesi Ortadoğu Araştırmaları Merkezi’nde öğretim üyesi, araştırmacılar ve öğretim üyelerinin katıldığı ‘Türkiye’deki Siyasi Gelişmeler, Darbe Girişimi ve FETÖ Yapılanması’ konulu bir seminer verdik. Seminerde Türkiye’nin değişen jeopolitiği hakkında bilgi verdik, siyasi tarihimizde darbelerin etkilerini anlattık ve FETÖ’nün darbe girişimine karşı siyasi ve toplumsal tepkiye dikkat çekerek bu terör örgütü ile mücadeledeki kararlılığımıza vurgu yaptık.

Remnin Üniversitesi bünyesinde kurulu Chonyang Finansal Araştırmalar Enstitüsü uzmanları ile yuvarlak masa toplantısı gerçekleştirdik. Toplantıda Türkiye’nin bir köprü ve Avrupa, Kuzey Afrika, Ortadoğu’ya açılan bir kapı olduğunu, yatırımlar için önemli imkanlar sunduğunu, Doğu Akdeniz dahil enerji havzalarına yakın olduğunu, Mavi Akım, Yumurtalık Petrol Boru Hattı, Bakü-Tiflis-Ceyhan Hattı, Azerbaycan ile imzalanan TANAP ve Rusya ile imzalanan Türk Akımı Doğal Gaz Hattı projeleri ile enerji koridoru olma yolunda hızla ilerlediğini anlattık. Yuvarlak masa toplantısında FETÖ darbe girişimi anlatarak bu örgütle mücadelede işbirliğinin önemini de vurguladık.

Pangoal Enstitüsü Türkiye Araştırmaları Merkezi Direktörü Dr. Zan Tao ile bir araya gelerek bu enstitü bünyesinde Türkiye çalışmalarının görünürlüğünün artırılması için değişim programları ve ortak projeler geliştirilmesi imkanları üzerinde durduk.

Pekin’de öğretim gören Türk öğrenciler ile bir araya gelerek çalışmalarına ilişkin bilgi aldık, sorunlarını ve taleplerini dinledik. Öğrencilerin büyük fedakarlıklar ile Çin’de eğitim aldıklarını, FETÖ ve benzeri yapıların etkileri altında kalmamaları için ileriye dönük çalışmaların yapılması gerektiğini müşahede ettik.

Değerlendirme

Dünyanın ikinci en büyük ekonomik büyüklüğüne sahip olan Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti’ne yaptığımız iki günlük çalışma ziyaretinde üniversite, düşünce kuruluşları ve araştırma merkezlerinde çok sayıda etkinlik gerçekleştirdik. Bu etkinlikler sırasında Türkiye’ye olan ilginin gittikçe arttığını ancak ülkemizle ile bilgi kaynaklarının sınırlı olduğunu, doğrudan bilgi edinmekten ziyade uluslararası haber ajanları kanallarından beslendikleri ve bunun doğal neticesi olarak bilgi yanlışlığı ve önyargıların oluştuğu gözlenmiştir. Yaptığımız sunum ve görüşmelerde darbe girişimi dahil birçok soru sorulmuştur. Etkinliklerdeki sorulardan da anlaşıldığı üzere ülkemizle ilgili bilgilerin genelde yüzeysel olduğu, örneğin FETÖ’nün bilinmediği ya da duyanların bu yapının karanlık yüzünü göremediği anlaşılmıştır. Bu ülkede öğrenim gören Türk öğrencilerin karşılaştığı sorunların çözümü noktasında da beklentilerin olduğu da görülmüştür. Bu konulara ilişin yetkili makamlara bilgiler verilmiştir.

AK Parti Sessiz Devrimler Yaptı ve Yediden Yetmişe Herkesin Hayatına Dokundu

Siyasi hayatımız ilişkin yaptığımız değerlendirme aşağıdaki şekilde haber sitelerinde yer almıştır.

Avrupa Konseyi Parlamenter Meclisi Türk Heyeti Başkanı ve AK Parti Adana Milletvekili Prof. Dr. Talip Küçükcan, AK Parti Hükumetlerinin sessiz devrimlere imza attığını ve yediden yetmişe herkesin hayatına dokunduğunu, sessizlere, yetimlere, yoksullara ve kimsesizlere sahip çıktığını söyledi.

AK Parti’nin kuruluşunun 16. Yılı münasebetiyle yazılı bir açıklama yapan Küçükcan, AK Parti’nin bir erdemliler hareketi olarak kurulduğunu ve 2002 yılında girdiği ilk genel seçimlerde tek başına iktidar olduğunu hatırlatarak pek çok alanda vatandaşlarımızın hayatını kolaylaştıran ve yaşam kalitesini yükselten projeleri tamamladığını söyledi.

“AK Parti Hükümetleri yaşam standardımızı yükseltti”

Küçükcan yaptığı açıklamada “AK Parti iktidara geldiğinde Türkiye Cumhuriyeti 79 yaşında idi. Önceki hükümetler döneminde yapılan iyi işler takdir edildi ancak pek çok alanda eksiklikler ve ihmaller olduğu da görüldü. AK Parti Hükumetleri işte bu nedenle hızlı bir kalkınma hareketi başlattı. Türk ekonomisi dünyanın on altıncı, Avrupa’nın ise yedinci büyük ekonomisi ölçeğine yükseldi. Kara, deniz, havayolu ve demiryolu taşımacılığında büyük sıçramalar kaydedildi. Havaalanı sayımız ikiye katlandı ve neredeyse her şehre veya hemen yakınına uçmak mümkün hale geldi. Kişi başına düşen milli gelir üç bin dolardan on bin dolara yükseldi. AK Parti Hükumetleri kazan-kazan siyaseti izledi ve yediden yetmişe her kesimden vatandaşımız ekonomik büyüme ve kalkınmanın yararını gördü. Kalkınmadan yeterince pay alamayan bölgelerimizde özel projeler gerçekleştirildi, doğu ve batı arasındaki alt yapı alanındaki farklar büyük oranda giderildi” ifadelerini kullandı.

“AK Parti insanımızı merkeze alan siyaset izledi”

Milletvekili Küçükcan, AK Parti’nin ilk günden itibaren insana hizmeti siyasetinin merkezine aldığını belirterek eğitim, ekonomi, sağlık, ulaşım, altyapı, savunma sanayi ve sosyal politikalar gibi alanlarda 15 yılda çok büyük projeleri hayata geçirdiğini, bu alanlarda 79 yılda yapılanları 15 yıllık iktidarına sığdırma başarısı gösterdiğini belirtti. Küçükcan açıklamasında “AK Parti döneminde sağlık alanında Türkiye sınıf atlamıştır. Vatandaşlarımızın hastane kuyruklarındaki çilesi bitmiştir. Gelişmiş ülkeleri kıskandıran bu gelişmenin arkasında insanımıza hizmet anlayışı yatmaktadır. Örneğin İngiltere'de bugün dört milyon hasta doktor randevusu ve tedavi için sırada bekliyor. 1990 ortalarında da durum pek parlak değildi. İngiltere'deki öğrencilik yıllarımızda uzman doktor randevusu üç ay sonraya veriliyordu. Bunu yaşayarak gördük. Şimdi herhalde bir veya iki yıl sonraya veriliyor uzman doktor randevusu. Türkiye'de ise durum çok farklı. Hastanelerimiz 5 yıldızlı oteller gibi kaliteli hizmet veriyor, doktorlarımız da hastalarımıza özen gösteriyor. Bütün bu yaşananlar devrimdir” dedi.

“Üniversitesiz Şehir Kalmadı”

Küçükcan açıklamasında kalkınmanın temelinde eğitimli ve donanımlı insan gücünün olduğuna inandıklarından dolayı eğitim yatırımlarının öncelikli olarak gerçekleştirildiğini, açılan yeni okul ve dersliklere bir sınıftaki öğrenci sayısının altmışlardan otuzlara düşürüldüğünü ve öğretmen sayısının da artırıldığını belirtti. Küçükcan “AK Parti Hükümetlerinden önceki 79 yıllık Cumhuriyet tarihimiz boyunca toplam 450 bin öğretmen ataması yapılabilmiştir. AK Parti 15 yıllık iktidarı döneminde 550 bine yakın öğretmen ataması yaparak 79 yılda yapılan atamadan daha fazla öğretmen görevlendirmiştir. Yine aynı dönemde kurulan üniversite sayısı 80 iken AK Parti Hükumetleri döneminde 15 yılda yüzü aşkın yeni üniversite açılması sağlanmıştır. Türkiye’deki üniversite sayısı 190’ı geçmiştir. Bugün 81 ilimizin hepsinde üniversite, yurt, kütüphane ve ilgili sosyal donatılar mevcuttur. Bütün bunlara insan sermayemize verdiğimiz önemi göstermektedir” dedi.

“Dış politika ve savunma sanayinde bağımsızlaşma adımları atıldı”

Türkiye’nin bir yandan Avrupa Birliği ve NATO ile ilişkilerini bir yandan da Rusya, Ortadoğu ve Orta Asya ile ilişkilerini yeniden gözden geçirdiğine ve farklı bölgesel ve küresel aktörler ve oluşumlar arasında bir denge kurmaya özen gösterdiğine dikkat çeken Küçükcan, Türk dış politikasında Afrika, Balkanlar ve Latin Amerika açılımlarının dikkat çektiğini, Türkiye’nin insani politikaları ile öne çıktığını belirtti. Küçükcan açıklamasında “AK Parti döneminde dış politikada bağımsızlaşma, çeşitlenme ve çok boyutluluk tercihi çok sayıda diplomatik temsilcilik açılması ile sonuçlanmıştır. Bu dönemde Türkiye uluslararası ve bölgesel ve küresel kuruluşlara tam veya gözlemci üye olma girişimlerini sürdürmüştür. BM başta olmak üzere etkisiz kurumları eleştirmiş ve yeniden yapılanması gerektiğini ifade etmiştir. Türkiye’nin bu çıkışları uluslararası sistemin sorgulanmasına yol açmıştır. Türkiye yürüttüğü insani ve vicdani politikalarla kendisine alan açtıkça hedef haline gelmiş ve maşa olarak kullanılan terör örgütlerinin (PKK, DHKP-C, DEAŞ, FETÖ) saldırısına maruz kalmıştır. Ancak AK Parti döneminde dış politika ve savunma sanayinde bağımsızlaşma adımları atılmıştır. Bugün gelinen noktada savunma yerli ve milli savunma sanayinde atılan adımların terörle mücadelede ülkemiz lehine sonuçlar doğurduğu görülmektedir” dedi.

 http://www.haber10.com/ak_parti/talip_kucukcan_ak_parti_sessiz_devrimler_yapti-716446

http://www.haber10.com/ak_parti/talip_kucukcan_ak_parti_sessiz_devrimler_yapti-716446

Europe's common fight against terrorism: Successes and failures’

Speech delivered at the Current Affairs Debate on ‘Europe's common fight against terrorism: Successes and failures’ PACE General Assembly, 29 June 2017, Strasbourg

By Talip KÜÇÜKCAN, Head of Turkish Delegation to the PACE

Mr KÜÇÜKCAN (Turkey) – I thank the Presidential Committee and the Bureau for unanimously accepting our proposal to debate our common response to the global phenomenon of terrorism.

I begin by asking an existential question. Are we safe? Do we feel safe in our streets, schools and hospitals? Are we safe in concert halls, museums and train stations? As recent events and trends in Europe and elsewhere indicate, we are not safe. It is obvious that events and terrorist activities and attacks in London, Moscow, Berlin, Paris and Brussels, the capital of the European Union, show that we are not safe. We have to accept this reality and address the coming challenges, otherwise our future will be taken hostage by terrorist organisations.

This is a global threat. Terrorism recognises no borders, no ethnicity, no religion, no sectarian identity and no regional borders. A terrorist organisation will emerge in one particular area but it will hit many different places. The most recent examples are Daesh, the PKK and the PYD, which threaten our very existence. Terrorism is not just a threat to one country or region but to our common existence, our democratic institutions and our political life. Where there is terrorism and political instability, democratic institutions cannot function. Member States and members of the Assembly must have a comprehensive view and strategy to combat terrorism.

We must refrain from stigmatising one group of people, one ethnicity, one religion, one sectarian group, when we talk about terrorism. It is a global phenomenon and the victims of terrorism are of many nationalities, ethnicities and religious groups. We need to recognise that this is a global threat and, wherever terrorism occurs, we must have a common response. Your home town or country may not be hit by a terrorist organisation, but that does not mean you will be safe for the rest of your life.

          We come from a country that is fighting various terrorist organisations, so we can share some of our experiences. We must not only look at the end results; most of the time, we discuss the consequences of terrorism yet refrain from looking at the root causes. Unless we resolve those root causes, rather than looking at the victims and the consequences, we will not win the war against terrorism.

If we look at the root causes of the situation in Syria, for example, Daesh and other non-State actors use terrorism as a means to achieve their goals. There is no political stability in that country because a war is going on among various ethnic and sectarian groups, and terrorism has been instrumentalised. Unless we establish stability in the region – in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen – we will not be able to win the war against terrorism. Those who live in Berlin, London, Moscow and Paris should recognise this.

Terrorism sees no borders. Terrorists travel freely. They can recruit people from your countries, and we have to do something about it. Many young people influenced by terrorist networks and organisations travel from one country to another. We have to set up a mechanism to confront this issue. We call on the members of the Council of Europe to recognise the shortcomings that we face.

We have seen several hash tags recently, such as #PrayforParis, #PrayforAnkara, #PrayforLondon and #PrayforNice. Regrettably, there have been failures in combating terrorism globally, otherwise terrorists could not hit the cities at the heart of our nations. We therefore feel that the international community should find a new agenda, new perception and new methods to continue fighting all terrorist organisations with determination. We should investigate the effectiveness of the measures that we have taken so far. In my view, despite the steps that we have taken, we face a number of problems in fighting terrorism.

First, Council of Europe member States should be actively involved in delivering what is stipulated in the Council of Europe additional protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, which addresses the phenomenon of terrorist fighters, through measures to prevent third-country citizens from travelling to Syria to join radical groups. All Council of Europe States should include suspected foreign terrorist fighters on their no-entry lists. Turkey has been doing so actively, and 52 000 names are on our list. Those people should not be allowed to travel. Where Daesh is concerned, Turkey has been doing its duty as well. We are in a volatile region, and as Syria’s neighbour, Turkey is one of the first targets of that terrorist organisation. It is time for us to recognise Turkey’s efforts to combat Daesh terrorism.

I remind you that social media are used actively to recruit young people, so we need to monitor them. People usually object to monitoring social media, in the name of freedom of expression and freedom of the media, but this is not correct. Our existential values are threatened, so we have to take important measures by looking at social media and the media at large. Sometimes we see that terrorists and terrorist ideas are glorified by people in the media, and we have to stop that.

I must address PKK terrorism. Turkey has been facing this terrorist organisation for the past 40 years, and many people have died. We need a common response, because the PKK is active in most of your countries in different ways. Sometimes it is as a civil society organisation or a media outlet, but we know and the United Nations has recognised that the PKK recruits people and raises funds in your countries that are then channelled to the PKK in our region. Let me tell you about the PKK’s latest victim, a female teacher aged 23, who was killed two weeks ago in the place where she was teaching music to Kurdish kids. We need to look at this and recognise that such organisations are now targeting their own people as well.

Finally, I warn all of you about an organisation that tried to overthrow the Turkish Government on 15 July last year, killing 252 people and injuring more than 2 000. Fethullah Gülen’s terrorist organisation sometimes appears to be a society for intercultural dialogue, but as we have seen in Turkey, it is a cult that is recruiting your young people. This is a friendly warning to all of you. We would like your co-operation with Turkey on a regional and a global level to combat terrorism. Of course, we are prepared to co-operate with you on all fronts. I thank you again for holding this debate.