It was a Sunday in July. In 2004 about two months after that, in Bucharest, during an official visit, Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives me a copy of Stephen the Greats sword as a symbolic gesture of friendship of Turkey to Romania. Regardless of the fact that we still asserted, the sword was stolen and the Turks say it was taken at the Battle of Razboieni ... Anyway, to commemorate Prince (on July 2, 2004), we transferred the gift to the museum Putna Monastery. It was the second year of office of prime minister Erdogan. He had a difficult politics. He was elected mayor of Istanbul in 1994, but the Constitutional Court forbade party. All the time, a court convicted for inciting religious hatred, to ten months in prison, of which he served four months in 1999 and second party he created was banned, but political lineup that generated her, Justice and Justice Party won elections in 2002 but he could not enter parliament, although it was the most popular politician, because he had to get a ban in public office. Do you find anything familiar? Only by amending the Constitution, and after some partial elections, could be appointed prime minister on March 14 2003 In July 2003 I was already visiting Ankara and Istanbul. I filled it legal infrastructure of bilateral relations, we discussed economic projects, football ... There was a time when our interest aderararea NATO need solid support from Turkey (and Greece). And Ive had. It worked excellent regional solidarity. Trade flows already exceeded one billion dollars. Moreover, in 2004, during a visit to Bucharest, organized along a Roman forum Turkish businessmen attended by dozens of companies and many young people and where Turkish Prime Minister announced the decision to renovate the house Dimitrie Cantemir in Istanbul. It was a night frumosa July, on the Bosphorus. Erdogan invited me, along with my wife, to be witnesses (we say godparents) to the marriage of his daughter, Esra, Berat Albayrak the son of a prominent Turkish journalist. The ceremony took place at the Conference Center Lufti Kirdar Istanbul, meeting room took place shortly after the NATO meeting in the presence of 7,000 guests, seated at hundreds of tables. I stood tall on the podium along with grooms, their parents and other witnesses of marriage, I watched the ceremony and at the end, I signed things really happened. Was also an exercise in what was called marriage diplomacy. Do the bride and groom, as in medieval Europe, but by witnesses. Together we were invited in this capacity, Costas Karamanlis - Prime Minister of Greece, King of Jordan, Abdullah II and President of Pakistan. Erdogan tried in this way to create a bridge between the Muslim and Christian civilization. As he tried the same thing in domestic politics, seeking a solution between religious radicalism and secular intense line, a blend of tradition and modernity with the objective of developing the country. After more than a decade of vigorous policy (determined reserves and European Turkey), supported by a comprehensive program of major investment, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected on the first ballot, the president of Turkey after the countrys Constitution was amended in the sense of a semi-presidential republic, similar to the French Republic. New Turkey - project of Erdogan and his party faced the choices US movement led by Imam Gulen Fetullah trying in recent years to create a parallel state by infiltration system arteries of prosecutors, judges and police, adherents of the movement, which react inside. However, Erdogan has managed to impose its principles of development of the country, including foreign policy - zero problems with neighbors, launched since 2002. My boss was the 2003 cabinet government, Mihaela Nistorescu, telling me that I call the Prime Minister of Turkey. He told me directly that a Turkish fishing boat is the way in Romanian territorial waters and asked me to see what it is. The next day I called him and I said that it is nothing serious. Over the years we have developed a personal relationship based on honesty and affection. We met at various international meetings, where we supported each other. Im reminded of a meeting organized by the International Bertelsmann Forum, with the theme Europe moving towards a new era. In a panel on Wider Europe strategy differentiated integration participated together with the Turkish Prime Ministers report presenting complementary views Joschka Fischer, German Vice Chancellor. Sunday was talking ten years ago. A hot summer day. Memories are still strong. Podium that stood by grooms, I greeted 7000 the guests, telling them about Romania and especially about the future. My conclusion now, Turkey has used well this decade history.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 11:01:40 +0000
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