Today, we are commemorating the 59th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. With this Declaration, human rights have attained a universal dimension in the context of common contemporary fundamental principles. The Declaration stands as the main reference instrument at the global level in the field of basic rights and freedoms.

In Turkey, one of the first countries to sign the Declaration among founding members of the UN, the protection and promotion of human rights is also one of the priorities of foreign policy.

Today, the level of conformity with contemporary standards in the domain of human rights, democracy and the rule of law is one of the main criteria for being a respected member of the international community. The international organizations and mechanisms, of which Turkey is a member, provide significant contributions to the reform process that we are pursuing with determination in the field of human rights

It is a fundamental state policy that our citizens, irrespective of their origin, can exercise basic rights and freedoms individually, equal and free before the law. All forms of discrimination are prohibited by the Constitution and the relevant laws.

The determined policy we are pursuing against discrimination is demonstrated by the constructive cooperation we maintain with all relevant international mechanisms belonging to the conventions and monitoring bodies to which Turkey is a party, at both international (UN) and regional (Council of Europe and OSCE) fora. In this field, and especially in the aftermath of September 11, Turkey is significantly contributing to international cooperation against adverse tendencies in the international community aimed at creating fault-lines on the basis of religion and culture. The Alliance of Civilizations Initiative, which is co-chaired by Turkey and Spain, constitutes the most concrete example of this.

As a country that has long adhered to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, our foreign policy in this field is pursued on the one hand within the framework of the domestic reform process, and on the other with the aim of contributing international efforts for the protection and promotion of human rights on a global scale. In the field of human rights, where during the last few years comprehensive change in legislation has been achieved with nine reform packages, the emphasis in 2007 has been on the consolidation of the reforms through implementation. These policies, indeed, are testimony to the fact that at the global level we view human rights topics through the same lense and share common values with other respected members of the international community.

With these considerations, I congratulate the Human Rights Day of our citizens and of the international community, and wish a bright future where respect for human rights takes root firmly and all persons benefit fully from fundamental rights and freedoms.