Ankara welcomes US decision to join AoC

Turkey has voiced pleasure over a decision by Washington to join the Group of Friends of the UN-led Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) and take part in an upcoming third forum of the initiative, expressing hope that US participation will lead to further progress of the alliance.

The Obama administration announced last Thursday that it has decided to join the UN Alliance of Civilizations aimed at fostering greater cross-cultural understanding. The Alliance of Civilizations, a joint Spanish-Turkish initiative under the auspices of the United Nations, was created in 2005. “The Group of Friends brings together those countries and international organizations supportive of the Alliance of Civilizations’ goals and objectives. With the United States, membership in the Group of Friends has risen to 120,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released on Friday. “This latest addition to the Group of Friends will make a major contribution to the enhancement and progress of the alliance,” the ministry said. Since President Barack Obama came to office last year, the US has slowly opened the door to informal dealings with the alliance, including attending some of its meetings as an observer. The decision to join grows out of Obama’s desire to broaden US participation in international groups and improve its standing in the Muslim world.