Zaman, Turkey
Sept 2 2006
Beyoghlow: Turkey will Miss Opportunities in Lebanon if it Doesn’t
Take Risks
By Ali H. Aslan, Washington
Saturday, September 02, 2006
zaman.com
Kamal Beyoghlow, an instructor at the prestigious Washington-based
National War College and professor of international relations, said
Turkey would gain strategic benefits if it properly managed the
potential risks of sending Turkish troops to Lebanon.
In an interview with Zaman daily, Beyoghlow indicated the mission to
secure peace in Lebanon was `risky,’ but these risks were manageable
and should not be exaggerated.
He asserted Turkey’s participation in the Lebanon peace force would
play a major role in maintaining the cease-fire and enforce Turkey’s
strategic interest, which he described as `achieving security,
stability and peace in the region.’
Beyoghlow recalled there was no strategy in the world free of
uncertainties, risks and undesired results, adding: `If you don’t
take risks, you will never have opportunities. If you can manage the
risks then you can be very successful. As part of the international
force in Lebanon, if it’s well integrated with the European parties
within the U.N., force then I believe that’s exactly what’s to
happen. This could be a great deal of benefit with minimum cost in my
judgment.’
He further stressed the need for Turkey to closely follow the
developments and obtain assurances as it was doing now.
Beyoghlow noted there were many people in the U.S. and elsewhere who
disfavored Turkey playing a major regional role and referred to
criticisms regarding the Armenian genocide allegations. `I don’t
agree with that. The past is important but the future is more
important. It is natural for Turkey to take that role, because it has
vast economic and political interest in the region. Turkey is very
well situated to play the role of a peace actor and a peace broker.’
Beyoghlow said Turkey’s contribution to the Lebanon peace force
together with European countries sent a strong message to the E.U.
and empowered Ankara in Turkey’s entry process to the union.
`Turkey really dissipated itself from the Arab and the Islamic world;
now its best interest is to build bridges with the Islamic and Arab
world in order to achieve long term peace and stability in the
region.’
Beyoghlow viewed Turkey’s establishing good relations with the
Iranian and the Syrian governments recently as an asset.
It was appropriate and wise of Turkey to have started good relations
with all of its neighbor’s years ago, Beyoghlow said, adding, `In the
long term, unless you talk to Syrians and Iranians about the
problems, you are not going to have peace and stability.’
He stressed it was impossible to resolve the Lebanese crisis only
through the cease-fire and a new strategy was needed. `Israel’s
unilateral approach to peace is not working.’
According to Beyoghlow, a comprehensive peace deal should be achieved
between Israel-Palestine and Israel-Syria.
He said, `If you begin negotiating with Syria right now over the
Golan Heights, for example; if you jump-start the peace process then
there is no problem in terms of an international force suffering from
being caught in the crossfire.’
Beyoghlow asserted the U.S. was the main engine in the region and a
permanent and just peace could not be achieved without it, adding:
`The U.S. is only seeing things through the prism of Israel instead
of seeing through all the regional players’ prisms, including Turkey.
You need to get back to multilane efforts.’
Beyoghlow argued that resolving the Syria-related problems through
negotiations and incentives, as opposed to implementing the Bush
administration’s policies, would make Syria less aligned with Iran.