REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT IRISH COMMUNITY RECEPTION, ISTANBUL, THURSDAY, 25TH MARCH 2010
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT IRISH COMMUNITY RECEPTION, ISTANBUL, THURSDAY, 25TH MARCH 2010
Honoured Guests, Iyi Akşamlar!
Dia dhíbh go léir.
It is a great pleasure to be here with you this evening in this marvellous city of Istanbul. Martin and I have had a wonderful visit to Turkey, starting with Ankara on Monday and Tuesday, yesterday in Gallipoli and today here in this vibrant and cosmopolitan city, before we return to Ireland tomorrow morning. Whatever your business, be it commercial, official, diplomatic or part of the Irish community, you are all very welcome, as friends of Ireland.
In many ways this visit has been a journey of discovery. In the course of the last few days, we have been uncovering many of the links between our two countries, both modern and ancient. The Celtic people who expanded into Western Europe and Ireland also had settlements in central Anatolia in the third century BC. And yesterday we commemorated the involvement of Irish men in the campaign at Gallipoli (Çanakkale) in 1915 and we have been honouring their memory and that of all those, including the large numbers of Turkish soldiers, who fought in that campaign.
In addition to the many historic links, today’s links between our two countries are dynamic and developing rapidly. Some 120,000 Irish tourists came to Turkey last year and these numbers are increasing, even though the overall number of Irish holidaying abroad went down in 2009. Several thousand Turkish men and women and their families live and work in Ireland and they make a vital contribution to Irish life, enriching our culture and our communities.
Like Turkey, Ireland is essentially an export-oriented economy, sharing a drive to develop overseas markets for our products and services. And the pattern of trade between our two countries reflects that orientation. It stands at around €1 billion per year and, after the temporary dip during the global recession, looks set to move forward again this year. There are many reasons for this success but a fundamental component of any thriving business relationship is people, working and communicating together. And, from what I have seen, Irish and Turkish people share a passion for meeting and learning about each other. We both share an intense interest in other peoples and cultures and we easily build up and maintain contacts.
But contact and networking and friendliness alone will not make a business relationship. A sustainable business relationship needs products, components and services of the highest standards, with an emphasis on quality, competitiveness and innovation. In Ireland we feel that we have the enterprises that can do this. And, as well as our own indigenous companies, we are home to some of the largest global technology companies: Google, Dell, Intel, E-bay along with many other brand leaders are all in Ireland. Several Turkish companies, too, have invested in Ireland and likewise some Irish companies are here in Turkey. We have therefore a sound basis for our trading links and I am confident that these will progress steadily in the time ahead.
One of Ireland’s greatest assets is its global family and I would like to say a special word to our Honorary Consul in Istanbul Dr James Geary and our Irish community in Turkey, many of whom are here this evening. From whatever corner of Ireland you come, fáilte romhat. You are part of that great global Irish family who, although living and working out of Ireland, are still tied to your native country and linked together by your common origins. You are, too, representatives of your country. Many Turkish people will form their perception of Ireland from their contact with you. Through you, they will get to know that Irish people are hospitable, talkative, curious, with a drive for learning and a love of music and theatre, song and dance, long conversations, banter and wit. But also that they have a concern for their neighbour and a willingness to assist those in need. As a cherished part of our global family, you are our ambassadors here in Turkey, and are central to the bonds of friendship that unite our two great countries.
It has been a real pleasure to be with you here tonight and Martin and I wish you all the very best.
Teşekkür ederım.
Go raibh maith agaibh go léir