 Well, good morning. It's great to be back after two years. I can't believe it's been two years, by the way. But I want to thank the Institute of International and European Affairs for giving me a chance to share my views on the challenges and on the dynamics of Turkish air relations and especially in the wake of the Irish presidency, which we are very hopeful about. Of course, Turkey and Ireland are at the opposite ends of our continent, but our people through history have learned to respect each other. At times, we have been on solidarity. At times, like in places like Gallipoli, we have proved to each other that we have been very brave fighters. But overall, this relationship is a relationship of mutual friendship, respect, and cooperation. National poet of Ireland, James Clarence Mangan, who's also known for his admiration for Turkey and Turkish people, wrote in one of his poems, La ilahe illallah, here we meet, we three at length, the Bosporus, the Bosporus. We felt full of health and heart upon the foamy Bosporus. Although he had never been to Bosporus, he could feel what it represents. Today, Bosporus is more meaningful than it ever was. And I'm grateful for the chance to share with you the greetings of the Bosporus, of the people of Bosporus, of my great constituency, Istanbul, with you today. Of course, as Bosporus is becoming more and more important, by the way, just heard that Russian Navy ships are passing through Bosporus to go down to Mediterranean right now to evacuate their citizens from Syria, which shows how important Bosporus still is. When you consider history, geography, and what's happening, Bosporus is still the most eastern part of the West and most western part of the East, so Mangan was right. There, you really feel that everything coming together. And Turkey today is the most southern part of the North and the most northern part of the South. And my city, Istanbul, is the most European city of Asia and the most Asian city of Europe. And I think that's the most important contribution to the challenges that Europe is facing today. Turkey, when asked, has the ability, the luxury, the great honor to check all of the above when it comes to being European, Asian, from the Balkan region, from the Black Sea region, a Mediterranean country, a Caspian region country. And that is what Europe was all about. It's coexisting in peace and harmony. At times, I even joke with my French colleague. As you know, the French are known to be most nervous about Turkey's membership to EU. And I would say, Pierre, what's your problem with us? You can digest to live with the Brits and not with us? For God's sake, none of the wars you had with us were as bloody as the wars you had with the Brits. But we're hoping that the Irish presidency would bring the founding principles of the European Union back into action. The reason this union received a Nobel Peace Prize is not because of the way it has been dealing with the economic crisis. It's not because it has brought solutions to the global problems. But the reason this institution of the European Union received a Nobel Peace Prize is because it has ensured sustainable peace on this continent. It is, in fact, the greatest peace project of the history of mankind, because it has ensured sustainable peace on this continent. Although it's the greatest peace project of the history of mankind, it is still a continental project. When Turkey joins the EU, we will transform it to become a global project. It will be a global peace project rather than a continental peace project. Unfortunately, the process of Turkish e-relations are going slower than it should be. We have not opened any chapters during the last five presidencies. And to be honest, that has created a vacuum in the Turkish public opinion about what the EU stands for. Right now, we have opened 13 of the 33 chapters. There are 20 more chapters to be opened, but 17 of them are politically blocked. So we cannot open them, even though we have fulfilled most of their opening benchmarks. But the three chapters that we could open are the chapters that every country left to the very end in their negotiation process because of the economic hardships that bring to the candidate country's economy. Therefore, we are a testelmate. And we need Irish creativity to overcome this difficulty. Hopefully, we'll get it. Now, we are witnessing some changes in the French attitude with President Hollande taking over. We're grateful to the French voters for sending Sarkozy back to fishing. The conclusion remarks that Mr. Chairman shared with us have the word accession. And it should be because Turkey is in a country who's trying to become a member. And the process is called accession. But believe it or not, this is the first time that word has been used in any EU document for the last five years. Because that gentleman, who is now enjoying fishing, was blocking even the usage of that word. We're hoping that this new French attitude, which can be summarized as common sense, will be more evident. And the five chapters that were blocked by Mr. Sarkozy will no longer be blocked. Or the six chapters blocked by the Greek Cypriot administration, in addition to the eight chapters that have already been blocked because of Cyprus problem by the EU council, will no longer be blocked after their elections. So the Irish presidency would be really a historical turning point for Turkish EU relations. One way or another, this relationship will have to find a meaning or find itself a new route. Of course, the Turkish-Irish relationship is still full of untapped potential. There are great opportunities for us to cooperate in international organizations vis-a-vis our bilateral trade, economy, science, culture, technology, and tourism. And we were discussing with Ambassador Cengizer if the fact that there are no political problems between Turkey and Ireland. Is this something to celebrate, or should we try to find ways to use that as an opportunity to re-vibrate, re-energize this potential, this huge potential that is untapped? Of course, that would also have its effect on the Turkish-Irish relations. Yes, the EU is going to an economic hardship. But in a meeting organized by the World Economic Forum, I couldn't help myself and told my colleagues from other EU countries, come on, cheer up, guys. This is not that bad. I mean, I remember 15 years ago in my country we had 8,000% interest rates among banks overnight. Today, we are the fastest growing economy in Europe. Things can change. It takes fiscal discipline, it takes being resolute, it takes political will, and it takes public support. But if you can really bring that confidence and stability together, it really works. Just like we overcame this difficulty, Europe will overcome this difficulty as well. But despite all the problems, per capita prosperity is still the highest in Europe compared to the rest of the world. And when we say per capita prosperity, it's not only income. Per capita prosperity, as far as I understand, includes human rights, freedom of speech, food safety standards, hygiene standards, hopes for a future, the toys that kids play with, the baby food that is manufactured in a country, all that combined. We are still in the most civilized part of the world. And looking at so many challenges all around the globe, I don't think the challenges that are threatening Europe are that problematic. And we can really come over them with common sense. And common sense includes Turkey and Europe being much closer. Today, median age in Turkey is 29, whereas it is 44 in the European Union. So we do have a very dynamic young population. Our growth rate for the last five years has been on average of 8%. We are the fastest growing economy in Europe today, the third fastest growing economy in the world. According to OECD, Turkey will continue to be the fastest growing economy in Europe till at least 2020. By 2050, Turkey will be the second largest economy in Europe. But it's more than economy. What really runs the economy is industry and energy. 75% of energy resources that Europe needs today are either to the south, north, or east of Turkey. So unless someone creates, invents, a new technology of wireless transfer of energy resources, Europe is dependent on Turkey's cooperation in the energy game. However, in our EU negotiations, we still have not opened the chapter on energy only because the Greek separatists feel like blocking them. I don't understand what they have to gain with it. I don't understand how come the 26 others are looking the other way. That's one of the irresponsible blockages on this process that we hope to lift during the Irish presidency. For example, most of the criticism that Turkey gets today vis-à-vis human rights, detention periods, freedom of journalism, and so forth, are issues that need to be dealt with within the contents of chapters 23 and 24. According to a year-old EU council decision, those two chapters are prerequisite, meaning a country cannot open any other chapters in the negotiation process unless they can open those two chapters. However, when it comes to Turkey, a country that has already opened 13 chapters, we cannot open those two chapters because the Greek separatists are blocking them. They have voted to make those two chapters prerequisites for all other countries. But when it comes to Turkey, it's a double standard. And that's something that's really hard to understand. So the commission is constantly telling us, in all these documents that we read together, to do our homework. But what is missing is they don't tell us what our homework is. We don't know what the opening benchmarks are on those two chapters. And that's really a very complicated situation even I have a hard time understanding. However, we do understand that we have a responsibility. Being situated where we are, we are not only an economic solution because within three hours of flying from Istanbul, one can reach 1.5 billion consumers who are willing and able to use European products and services. We're not only a workforce solution with our young population. And I happen to be one of the youngest ministers in the Turkish government. But 70% of my nation is younger than I am. 60% of the population is under the age of 34. So that gives you a concept of how dynamic Turkey is. Energy-wise, we are very crucial. But the most important contribution of Turkey, as I said, would be turning this continental project into a global one. And I'll give you an example. You see, there are many Muslim leaders today who can go to Egypt or Syria or Tunisia or Libya and pray with the local people and show some solidarity. There are many Western leaders who can go to the very same countries and talk about merits of secular democracy, as many have tried, including Cameron and Sarkozy and so forth. However, there are not too many leaders who can do both. But when my prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, goes to Egypt two o'clock in the morning, more than 20,000 young Egyptians, go to the airport to greet him. And after attending a Friday prayer in Libya, he can come out of the mosque and speak to a crowd of more than 30,000 people. And he can, which he has, told them, don't be afraid of secular democracy. I'm a devout believer like you all are. I just prayed with you guys. But I'm running a secular democracy where we have the fastest growing economy in Europe. Being secular does not mean abandoning your own values or religion. Quite the contrary, being secular ensures one to practice his religion of choice as much as he wants to practice that religion. And that is a very strong message. That shows how important Turkey is, how important messages of the Bosporus that Mangan wrote about are. Because we blend the combined values of the East and West, North and South. And I think that's what's needed so much these days. And I'm hoping that the Irish presidency will help others understand this important need to deal with the challenges. Of course, this is not only one-sided benefit game. Yes, we have a lot to offer to Europe. But we are also gaining a lot from this process as well. My country is much more democratic today, prosperous today, more transparent, and has much more self-confidence than it did before starting the EU negotiation process. In a country where people were afraid to admit they were Kurds 15 years ago, now we have 24 hours of Kurdish broadcasting on state television. Inmates in prisons can talk to their visiting mothers in their mother tongue. Politicians can campaign in the language, in the ethnic language of their choice. After a gap of 88 years, the Orthodox citizens of Turkey have started using one of their historical monasteries called Sumela to practice their religion. The Armenian community has started using their historical Akhtamar church after a gap of 112 years. At the time when some European leaders were trying to deport their own citizens of Roma origin, Turkish government announced new housing and career projects for our own people of Roma origin. For the first time since the foundation of the republic, since the founder Atatürk himself, we have seen a president of the country who visited the place of worship of the Alawite community. These are important developments that would be very, very difficult for us to do on our own. So as far as I'm concerned, the EU is like a dietitian. It has a great prescription, which helps countries become more fit, more dynamic, more healthy. And when I try to explain to my people about the relationship that we have with this dietitian, I try to convince them that the fact that the dietitian is overweight these days has a few clogged arteries and happens to be quite moody doesn't make the prescription bad. The prescription is still the best around. And those EU member states who have been within the framework of their own prescription, which is the Aki, are doing fine. But those who cheated a little bit are now trying to put themselves in shape. And they will, because no crisis lasts forever. So this is the mood that we have in approaching the Irish presidency. We're hoping that our historical friends, a nation that has always been in solidarity with us in good times and bad times, will be on our side again. And I will be talking to my dear colleague, Miss Creighton, later today, about preparing both Europe and Turkey for this great rendezvous, the Irish presidency, which would hopefully be full of good news for the next six months. Thank you for listening to me. I look forward to your questions. Thank you.