Speaking in Kutahya Bagis said "Turkey was a country who had the worst relations with her neighbors before the AK Party government. Our government has improved the relations with Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Iran and Syria and started the negotiation process with the European Union, which couldn't be achieved since 1963." Bagis added that Turkey is now continuing the negotiation process on 8 chapters.
Egemen Bagis underlined the rhetoric of the opposition on the question of Cyprus. He stated that the opposition accuses the Government bitterly about the Cyprus issue but while they were in power they had done nothing about it but demagogy. Bagis emphasized on what AK Party has achieved in Cyprus. He noted "AK Party government have changed the whole international balance on the Cyprus question without giving even an inch of soil and without withdrawing even a single Turkish soldier from the island. Today the reason for the deadlock is neither Turkey nor the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The world knows that Turkish Cypriots have supported the Annan Plan with 68 % 'yes' votes. But Greek Cypriots declined the votes with 76% 'no'. Through our 'win-win strategy' we proved the world the reality that the source of the deadlock in Cyprus is the Greek side not the Turkish Cypriots.""The so-called Armenian Genocide Claims"
AK Party Vice Chairman Egemen Bagis said that the Armenians attempt to promote the 1915 incidents as genocide to the whole world since they are afraid of being assimilated in the countries like England, Germany, France and Canada in which the population is mostly Christian. They come together in the churches every week, Bagis added, where they load hatred to the minds of their community and empty the pockets by collecting money.
Bagis continued "When AK Party came to the government, Prime Minister Erdogan wrote a letter to the Armenian President after the unanimous vote of the Grand National Assembly. Prime Minister suggested in the letter to open the archives mutually and pronounced that ‘We are opening our archives, and invited them to open theirs'. Thus Prime Minister emphasized the importance of solving the problem through historians and academicians but not through the hands of politicians." Mr. Bagis reminded that it is a first time in the whole history of Turkish Republic a Prime Minister said that "if you are ready to face your history, I am also ready to face my history." This is a distinction of our braveness. We are coming from a culture that loves all the creatures because of the Creator. Our ancestors would never have the aim of genocide. Since we believe in and trust in our culture and our past, we demonstrated this braveness. But what did Armenia do? It's been two years since our proposal; we haven't heard from them. This means they are not ready to face their history."Beside the good neighborhood relations, Egemen Bagis touched upon the economic relations with our border countries. Bagis emphasized that "apart form its political, cultural and social relations; Turkey has increased the volume of trade 350- 400% with its neighbors." Bagis indicated the inspiration of those good relations as humanity and said that "The basis of all our action is humanity."
Regarding our relations with the Middle East, Bagis underlined how Turkey has changed to be an active actor in the region from being simply a watcher since Ak Party came into power. Bagis said: "Today when 2 soldiers of Israel are kidnapped the first person that Israeli Prime Minister calls is the Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. When the same Israel tried to invade Lebanon, Lebanese Prime Minister Sinyora's first contact person is Prime Minister Erdogan. When Israel and Syria prepare to compromise on the Golan Heights, Turkish Prime Minister is the contact person. Today the whole world has problems with Iran. Iran announces that it can communicate with the world via Turkey."
Bagis said Turkey is an important country. Turkey is the 17th biggest country in the world and 6th biggest economy of Europe.
"We will keep on our way decisively."
Today, Turkey is an important player of at least 15 of the most important 20 subjects debated in the world politics such as terror, energy and environmental pollution.
Following his speech at the Political Academy, Bagis delivered another one in the City Advisory Board Meeting. There, he underlined the importance of unity and solidarity and emphasized the importance of overcoming difficulties in the time being. Referring to the closure case he said "During the process that we are going through there might be some balloons, but don't forget all the balloons explode. Our only aim is to carry the secular, democratic and the rule of law state of the Turkish Republic to the level of the contemporary civilizations which it deserves." Bagis underlined that members of AK Party have big dreams for Turkey.
After the speeches, the successful graduates of the first round of the Political Academy received their certificates from Egemen Bagis and other deputies. AK Party Deputy of Bursa Canan Candemir Celik, Deputies of Kutahya Ismail Hakki Bicer, Hasan Fehmi Kinay and Husnu Ordu, Mayor of Kütahya Mustafa Ica, AK Party Kutahya Province Chairman Sukru Nazli and other party members also attended the program.