Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoğlu's Speech to Kirkuk's Turkmen Community

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu paid

an unannounced visit to the city of Kirkuk.

During his visit Davutoğlu met with the city’s

Turkmen community as well as leaders of the

Turkmen Front.

Rudaw published Davutoğlu’s speech to Kirkuk’s

Turkmen community: 

  

“After 75 years I have come to Kirkuk as the first

Turkish Foreign  Minister,” Davutoğlu said.

 “You waited for us too long, but I promise

 you won’t wait for us that long in the future.”

“Kirkuk has a special place in our heart.”

The Turkmen crowd responded to the foreign

minister’s words by cheering, “Welcome Davutoğlu,”

“Before I came here I listened to the great master

 [singer and poet] ” Abdulvahid Küzecioğlu Davutoğlu

continued as he repeated a line  from one of

his poems. “The mountain learned perseverance

from  me. Iron chains couldn’t tie me down,

but Kirkuk tied me down.”

Hearing the poem, the crowd cheered, “Kirkuk

 is Turkmen and will remain Turkmen.”

“Kirkuk is as important to us as it is to a Kirkuki

 singer,” said the  foreign minister.

“Iraq is a close friend of Turkey,” he said. “Iraqi

 people are our  brothers: Turkmens, Assyrians,

 Kurds and Arabs. All Iraqis are  dearer to us

 than life. Whenever a tragedy or a sad news

 happens in Iraq our heart breaks. When a

 terrorist attack takes place in Kirkuk and our

 Kirkuki brothers come to harm, believe me that

 our hearts are set on a fire that nothing can

 put it out.

If you live in happiness and peace, we too in

Turkey will be happy.If a thorn pricks your fingers,

we in Turkey will feel your pain.

I have always wanted to come to Kirkuk, but

couldn’t do so because of circumstances.

I met with Turkish prime minister

and decided to come to Kirkuk unannounced.

God willing, I will come back and we will meet

again. I bring to you the greetings of

the president, the prime minister, the

government and the people of Turkey.

Kirkuk has a special place in our heart. I met

with members of Kirkuk provincial council and

told them that Kirkuk is one of our ancient cities.

Kirkuk is a city where Turkmens, Kurds

and Assyrians live peacefully together.

Maybe there are people who would want to

spread sedition and break up your brotherhood,

but you stand together against those people and

keep Kirkuk as the city of coexistence and peace.

The Turkmens are natives of Kirkuk and will never

be erased.

Kirkuk is Kirkuk with all its communities. No one

can do them injustice.

The genuine Turkmen culture in Kirkuk not only has

benefited Kirkuk itself and Iraq, it also has benefited

Turkey. Kirkuk is always in our thoughts and we

grew up as children hearing stories of Kirkuk.

Coming to Kirkuk has always been in our hearts.

“Kirkuk is always in our thoughts and we grew

 up as children hearing stories of Kirkuk.”

At the provincial council today we reached many

decisions. With God’s help, Turkey will do its best

to help reconstruction and security in Kirkuk.

Kirkuk is the symbol of unity and integrity in Iraq.

If peace prevails in Kirkuk, peace and stability will

prevail in Iraq. If there is peace and stability in Iraq,

the Middle East will also see peace and stability.

God has granted Kirkuk many gifts and natural

resources is one of them. This city must be rebuilt

with those resources. Not only in Iraq, but in the

entire world Kirkuk should become an example

of wealth and prosperity. To meet that end,

Turkey will always help Kirkuk.

We will be at Kirkuk’s service.”

At this point, a Turkmen resident attending the

speech stood up and shouted, “They are

annihilating the Turkmen in Kirkuk. Help us!”

In response, the Turkish foreign minister said,

 “No, be sure that such a thing won’t happen.

Kirkuk won’t be without Turkmens and

won’t live without them.”

“In the fields of economy and culture we will

 spare no effort to help Kirkuk.

 I asked Mr. Najmaldin [governor of Kirkuk] and

Other friends to give me a white sheet and I

would sign on it to do for Kirkuk whatever

necessary to achieve peace.

Today we decided to make Konya city in Turkey

and Kirkuk sister cities. I am a Turkmen of Konya

and for that reason I feel your pain very well.

Wherever there is a Turkmen, we have felt

responsible towards them and protected them

and we will always do so.

At the same time, Turkey feels responsible to

all humanity. Where in the world a nation is in pain,

Turkey will feel obliged to help.