Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey participated in the concluding (High Level) Session of the Second İstanbul Mediation Conference held on 11-12 April 2013.

Speaking at the concluding session where Mr. Erkki Tuomioja, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Mr. Vuk Jeremic, President of the United Nations General Assembly and Philippines Presidential Advisor Teresita Quintos-Deles also attended, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu underlined that on certain issues, such as peace mediation it should be acted not as the foreign ministers of the countries but as the interior ministers of humanity.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “We hope that one day mediation will not be needed anymore. In the end, we all work for an environment where mediation is not required.”

Recalling the Mediation for Peace initiative launched by Turkey and Finland in 2010, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that it is a concrete evidence of the need for mediation that the number of the member countries of the UN Friends of Mediation Group was reached to 44 with the participation of 10 new countries in the last year.

“After the Cold War, mediation at micro level has gained much more importance than mediation at macro level. In other words, mediation on a local scale became more important than mediation on a global scale. Because when there is a political tension in an area of the world, need has risen to settle the problem at micro level.” said Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasizing that today effective mediation is needed ever more as any conflict in any part of the world could affect the whole world

Mentioning the recent diplomatic contacts with regard to Syria, Sudan and Somalia, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stressed that Turkey makes every effort for peace all around the world and added that these efforts emanate not only from the common history, common fate which Turkey shares with those countries, but those countries consider Turkey as the best friend, most brotherly country and nation.

“With a view to the success of mediation activities mediator countries should apprehend the flow of history ” highlighted Foreign Minister Davutoğlu and explained that mediation efforts can be succeeded by using the right methodology and the ethic approach based on values as well as by concluding required psychological and intellectual preparations.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu pointed out that today mediation activities can be addressed at three level namely national, regional (among the states) and global. He discussed the activities of each level with specific cases. “For a just world there is a need for a new values system in international relations. Mediation efforts should be carried out within the framework of these values.”

Concluding his remarks Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “We will try to contribute to the reconciliation of friendly countries, on regional issues we will work with regional partners all around the world, we will work within the global system and the United Nations system, we will be the voice of peace.”