Statement by Turkey
on Preamble and Introduction
(28 July 2015)
Distinguished Co- facilitators,
We would like to join others in commending your hard work in revising the outcome document in a manner that reflects most of the comments last week.
We want to share our views on Preamble and Introduction part and put forward a few language suggestions on these parts.
In the Preamble, in paragraph “People”, we propose to add the word “drinking” before the word “water”.
In the same para, we also wish to delete the phrase "ensure equal access to natural resources" or move it with a new wording after the phrase, "a healthy environment and well being for all.” The sentence will then read as, I quote “: ...ensure quality education, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and a healthy life for all; a healthy environment and well-being for all; and promote equitable access to and sustainable use of natural resources....” unquote.
We also have a proposal to amend the 6th sentence in paragraph 8 of the “Our Vision” part, to make it consistent with the language in target 6.1 and ensure coherence with the whole paragraph 8. Our suggestion reads as I quote “ A word where drinking water is safe, affordable and accessible for all…” unquote.
In Introduction, there are references to three dimensions of sustainable development both in paragraph 3 and 5. We believe that 2nd and 3rd sentences in paragraph 3 weakens the focus on poverty eradication as the greatest challenge and disrupts the flow of idea in that para. Therefore we suggest to move the reference to three dimensions of sustainable development to paragraph 5.
For paragraph 31 on climate change, we can accept the language in square brackets.
On para 35, we propose to put more emphasis on the positive aspects of regular migration by including after the phrase "major relevance" the word "contributing to". So the first part of the first sentence would read as: "We recognize that international migration is a multudimensional reality of major relevance contributing to the development of countries of origin, transit and destination..."
Thank you.
