DOCUMENTS
THE OSCE IMPLEMENTATION MEETING,
WARSAW, 1995
TURHAN FIRAT
On bchalf of the Turkish Delegation, I takc great pleasure in addressing this distinguishcd audience, who are asscmbled to review implementation of thc OSCE Human Dimension commitments.
At the outset, I would like to point out that the ODIHR, as the main institution of the Human Dimension, and in particular its esteemed Director, Ambassador Glover, deserve a good deal of praisc for their untiring efforts to strenghtcn dcmocratic institutions and to promote thc application of the rule of law throughout the OSCE region.
Besides ODIHR, I also wish to acknovvledge the invaluable work done by Mr. Max van der Stoel, High Commissioner on National Minorities. His discrect, yet highly qualified pcrformancc has helped in no small measure to prcvent many disputes from developing into armed conflict.
Our thanks also go to Hungary, vvhich, in her capacity as the Chairman-in-Office for 1995, has done her bcst to promote progress in the human dimension of the OSCE in addition to that in thc other tvvo dimensions.
During this implementation meeting vve are expectcd to take stock of vvhat wc have done in thc human dimension since the Budapest Revievv Conference, and look to the future.
Turkey recognizes the universal significance of human rights and fundamental freedoms and is in agreement vvith the Budapest Document that "human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of lavv and dcmocratic institutions are the foundations of peace and security". Turkey remains committed to implementing the OSCE committments she has undertaken in the human dimension and thus determincd to remove any obstacle that stands in thc vvay of their fulfilment. Most rccent constitutional amendments may be regarded as a step forvvard in this direction.
186 THE TURKİSH Y E A R B K [VOL. XXV
Turkey also shares the belief that peace and stability can be more durable if nations are administercd by democratic governments. That is one of the reasons why democratic reform in the OSCE region has taken on an addcd importance.
On the other hand, we are convinced that human rights and fundamental freedoms can be better safeguarded and exercised in a democratic system. Conscquently, we believe that enhancing dcmocratic system of govcrnmcnt vvith ali its institutions should take priority over other human dimension issues. So long as thc proccss of demoeratization moves ahead unhindcred, it vvill also serve as a useful purpose in broadening the political and legal framevvork vvithin vvhich the exercisc of human rights and fundamental freedoms is enhanced. I vvish to emphasizc, hovvcver, that slrcngthening dcmocracy is a difficult proccss, and time element plays an important role. It is no sccret that those nations vvhich take dcmocracy for granted today have attained thcir present dcmocratic maturity over a long period of time. Keeping it in mind, vve should therefore have more understanding tovvards the states vvhich have embarked upon moving tovvards dcmocracy at a relatively late stage. Our primary objcclivc should be to search for vvays in vvhich vve can help these states to consolidate their gains on the road to democracy and vviden the scope of application of dcmocratic principlcs.
Thc level of economic and social development is another factor that directly relates to the strengthening of democracy. It is a fact that governments arc more reluetant to procccd vvith rapid demoeratization if the socio-economic development falls behind that vvhich is essential for political stability. It gocs vvithout saying that democratic principlcs can hardly bc enhanccd, let alone human rights and fundamental freedoms are proteeted in a polical environment vvhere instability and turmoil predominate. In the reccnt past, vve have bom vvilness to a number of instanccs vvhere dcmocracy had to be interrupted because of diserepaney bctvveen inadcquate economic resources and hcightencd political avvareness.
These considcration bring into focus the comprchensive concept of security. This concept, as is knovvn, links progress in onc of the three dimensions of OSCE to progress in another dimension. It makes sense therefore that in order to make hcadvvay in the human dimension, progress in economic dimension is nccdcd. The link bctvveen socio-economic condition and democratic reform is manifest in so far as recently admittcd participating states arc conccrned. In order for democratic reform to procced smoothly in those countrics, financial mcans is nceded to form a sound economic basis on vvhich democratic institutions vvould be built.
I should like to take up very briefly the argument that infringements of human rights and fundamental freedoms are almost alvvays the vvork of state machincry. I find it hard to go along vvith this argument. In our vievv, at present terrorist and racist groups arc resorting morc and morc to methods of violcncc for thc accomplishmcnt of thcir ultimate aims. As such these groups are violators of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Tcrror in Turkey is a case in point. Those vvho have chosen to murder ncarly fivc thousand
1995] DOCUMENTS 187
civilians, women and children indiscriminately over the last ten years, done so for the purpose of winning support by force of arms for their sinister designs, i.e. to carve a picce of land out of Turkey.
As long as terrorism continues, hardly any democratic government can promote human riglıts and fundamental freedoms by disregarding the sensitivity of its public opinion. My delegation is convinced that there are things that we can do in thc OSCE about terrorism. Firstly, thc participating states should recall the committments they entered into under OSCE documents and should be willing to fulfil them effectively. In this way they can contribute to eliminating terrorism and thus assist in the strengthcning of democratic institutions in thc OSCE arca.
Anothcr cause of conccrn for us are the continuing assaults in a number of Europcan countrics against migrant vvorkers for thc only rcason that they are somevvhat culturally different from the native pcople. This could hardly be considcrcd anything but breach of human rights.
With the sprcad of racism, chauvinism, xenophobia and aggressive nationalism in Europc, human rights of migrant workcrs havc bccome more and morc thrcatcned by the adhercnts of thcse phenomena. Here we should addrcss two aspects: Onc is proteetion of migrant vvorkers, their life and property against racist, xenophobic assaults, the othcr is the need for effcctive measures to eliminate diserimination against migrant vvorkers.
We suggest the OSCE to pay morc attention to thc human rights problem of migrant vvorkers and expect the participating states to create conditions for promoting equality of opportunity in such areas as culturc, vvorking conditions, education, social sccurity, housing and health.
Last but not least, I should like to touch very brief upon the role of NGO's at the implcmentation meetings. My delegation shares thc vicvv that the OSCE should inerease openness of its activities by allovving NGO's to participatc in human dimension activities. On the other hand, the contribution of the NGOs vvill bc more result oricntcd so long as they adopt a constructive approach to the issues.
With thcsc vievvs in mind my delegation is prepared to offer its coopcrativc effort for thc succcssful conclusion of this implcmentation meeting.
