Turkey puts in great effort for peace in region: Min.

By Meltem Bulur

VAN, Turkey

Turkey’s EU minister Omer Celik said Saturday that while Turkey was going to great lengths to re-establish peace and stability in its region, it was not possible to do it alone.

Celik spoke on the first of the two-day Helsinki Policy Forum focusing on the Middle East and Asia in Turkey’s eastern Van province.

“This region, which was once known for the Israel-Palestine issue that we call the Middle East Peace Process, is known for the Arab Spring and especially for the incidents in Iraq and Syria now,” he said at a session named "Opportunities and Challenges in Our Region: Need For a Sustainable Framework Based On Regional Ownership" .

Referring to the refugee crisis, the minister said that Turkey had reduced the pressure on Europe by hosting more than 3 million Syrian refugees and 400,000 Iraqis.

“If your neighbor country is poor and is not secure, this will negatively affect your peace and security, as well,” EU Minister also said after stating that Turkey was the most generous country in the world.

He added that international cooperation was necessary in order to be successful in the fight against terrorism.

"Arming the YPG [PKK/PYD] terrorist group in order to fight Daesh shows how the international community is confused and disoriented."

The PKK/PYD is considered by Ankara as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization that has waged a more than 30-year war against the Turkish state.

More than 300 people lost their lives in Daesh-claimed brutal attacks in Turkey that includes suicide bombs, rocket and gun attacks.

Turkish security forces have been involved in a long-running campaign to thwart Daesh attacks.

The Helsinki Policy Forum is a dialogue process founded in 2014 to facilitate dialogue and understanding, focused on the most pressing challenges in the Middle East and North Africa region, according to the Finnish Foreign Ministry, which funds the forum.

The Helsinki Policy Forum has previously been held in Helsinki, London and Moscow, and next year will be held in Beirut.