Clinton praises Turkey's role as a key country of the 21st century

Former US President Bill Clinton yesterday praised Turkey for its successful endorsement of secularism while letting people express religious beliefs without imposing them on others. Speaking at a privately organized Istanbul conference on Leadership for Sustainable Success, Clinton delivered warm and supportive messages on Turkey and its role in the world. In his speech, Clinton advised Turkey to tackle its own problems to reach a win-win solution. The key to success in the 21st century, according to Clinton , is to get away from zero-sum games where there are no winners. He also advised rising above political debates to face the challenges of the 21st century, such as climate change. The former president, still popular in Turkey, also praised the reconciliation process with Armenia. Clinton also told how he was an ardent supporter of Turkey's European Union accession. "As president, I came to the conclusion that Turkey will determine a great deal of what will happen in the 21st century," he said. "And thus, strong relations with Turkey were forged during my administration." His efforts for Turkey's EU bid were also "for the good of the American people," he said, recalling that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline was built during his tenure. "I am happy to see Turkey's energy interconnections continue to expand," Clinton said. "The world is more interdependent than ever before," he continued. "During my presidency, I worked to create networks to maximize the positive forces of interdependence and minimize their negative effects." Clinton also said, "The US has the historic responsibility to help Turkey exercise its radiating influence over this region in all four directions."