Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

In his speech, European Union (EU) Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, in regards to the developments in Ukraine, “We have no need for new conflicts, new wars.”

Çavuşoğlu went on:

“The EU decided to provide Ukraine with 11 billion Euros in aid. Could this aid have come sooner? It could have come much, much earlier. Today especially, the EU needs to reassess European institutions and Russia – Europe policies. A crisis, instability, in Europe could effect the whole world. Despite all the crises, we consider Europe to be the most democratic, developed, stable and reliable continent.”

- Developments in Europe

Stating that the ICC was founded following WWI in order to reestablish trade, finance and investments in the international level, Çavuşoğlu pointed out that the ICC, dubbed “the merchants of peace”, play a very important role in world trade and investment.

“The greatest threat to the peace, stability, economic development and the values which unite us is the rising wave of racism and xenophobia – all kinds of phobias. We’ve seen these spill over into action – into actual acts of terrorism, even in a country like Norway. We’ve seen it in neo-Nazi attacks in Germany. We’ve seen it in the increase of parliament space of racist parties.”

- Cyprus issue

Çavuşoğlu stated that the worst obstacle for economic development is conflict in various parts of the world and controversy.

Pointing out that a permanent solution to the Cyprus issue will be brought at the end of this year, Çavuşoğlu said that this would also accelerate Turkey’s EU process.