UN General Assembly
2003

countries with which we experienced difficulties in the recent past. We are also doing our best to contribute to the solution of problems in the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caucasus. In order to promote harmony among civilizations, we convened a meeting last year in Istanbul between the European Union and the countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Next year, both the NATO summit and the OIC’s ministerial meeting will be held in that city. My Government’s reforms at home reflect a sustained effort to promote democracy, human rights, 5 the rule of law, civil society, good governance, accountability and gender equality to the highest standards set by the United Nations and the European Union. The results show that national and spiritual values can be in perfect harmony with contemporary living standards. Integration with the world is not possible without bringing our values and traditions into harmony with modernity. It is on the strength of that increasingly relevant Turkish experience and on the strength of the richness of our ties with the international community that