The bloody break-up of the former Yugoslavia demonstrated the dangers inherent in ethnic or religious intolerance. Turkey felt it to be a historic responsibility and duty to help stop the carnage in Bosnia Herzegovina and actively contributed to the NATO forces which finally brought peace to the country. We have also sent a police contingent to Bosnia Herzegovina to improve the security of innocent civilians. Turkey also cooperates with the USA in training and arming the Bosnian army to ensure that past horrors are never repeated. Turkey is the leading proponent of assistance to the Bosnians within the Islamic Conference Organization and is contributing to the reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Turkey is also concerned with the escalation of tension in Kosovo.
Turkey denounces all sorts of violence including terrorist activities and believes that durable solution is possible only with the full protection of the rights of all Kosovars including those of Turkish origin. In other words, Turkey advocates enhanced autonomous status for Kosovo within the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Although Turkey generally enjoys good relations with her Balkan neighbors, a number of issues between Turkey and Greece remain unresolved. Today's status quo in the Aegean has been established by the Lausanne Treaty of 1923. However, we have always adopted a constructive attitude supporting the resolution of all outstanding disputes with Greece through a substantive and result-oriented dialogue process.