HOW TURKEY SHOULD REACT TO SARKOZY?
Mehmet Ali Birand
Turkish Daily News
June 18 2008
I thought French President Nicolas Sarkozy would loosen up in his
approach to block Turkey’s way to the European Union. Sarkozy appointed
a friend of Turkey, Pierre Lelouche, as his special envoy, and sent
messages for better relations with Turkey. He created the image that
"he will ease his anti-Turkey stance." On the contrary, the French
President sends new signals every day that he will hunt down Turkey.
If we ask, "What could be the traditional Turkish reaction to
Sarkozy?" the answer is simple. Turkish diplomacy, politicians and
media can show the fiercest reaction against him.
Turkish leaders might make serious remarks and batter him down
verbally to instigate people and Sarkozy might be declared "enemy of
Turks." Political contacts might either be cut or minimized. France
might be crossed out in all public tenders and French companies doing
business in Turkey face bureaucratic obstacles.
The Turkish armed forces might not buy French weapons and cause trouble
for their French counterparts. In such an atmosphere, Turkish public
opinion may turn against France.
Campaigns might be organized against French goods and calls might be
made for boycotting France. The Turkish media might concentrate on the
French massacre in Algeria and "ugly French" kind of documentaries
might be broadcast on TVs, municipalities might change French names
once given to streets or boulevards as some organizations might leave
black wreaths in front of French representative offices.
That is to say, France might be lambasted.
Then we, as the society, might feel satisfied but this might be
reflected as the "French hunt in Turkey" in Europe. They might scream
out "Barbaric Turks" as Greeks and Armenians foment the fire. In this
case, Sarkozy toughens more and other EU member countries, even if they
do not believe, might support France, just for the sake of solidarity.
This scenario that I try to give here should not be the one we
follow. Unfortunately, this is an indispensable approach we adopt
since it is so easy to follow, although we see its negative results.
But this only harms Turkey. We should respond to Sarkozy in a cold
European manner not in a traditional Turkish way.
* * *
Five ways to handle Sarkozy:
There are many ways to fight back against the French president’s
approach to Turkey. However, I made a research on the most crucial
and primary ones and I came up with four of them:
The most important trump card Turkey holds against France is the
other EU countries supporting Turkey, the European Commission being at
top. And there are about 20 of them. Ankara should take the initiative
and form an active Turkish lobby. But for that, Turkey should realize
the EU reforms and provide new trump cards for its friends in order
for them to defend Turkey.
The most powerful Turkish lobby in France consists of French firms
having or making investments in Turkey. So we should make them to take
action in favor of Turkey along with the other actors in economy and
trade, rather than driving them to the wall and making them to regret
that they invested in Turkey. They will be pleased to have a role in
this bid.
The French security lobby and the French armed forces are natural
supporters of Turkey. As it happens today, we should make the French
military airplanes transiting over Turkey to take side with us,
rather than creating difficulties for them.
The year 2009 is declared the "Year of Turkey" in France. We
should definitely make good use of this. Various drives and
conferences targeting universities should be organized for French
intellectuals. Turkey can easily do all of these, if there is enough
political will.
Invite them over here:
Our biggest problem is to reflect our rightful case in the best
possible way and to explain Turkish viewpoint. I’ve been in this
business for 40 years. So I’ve been following the efforts to "promote
Turkey," both inside and outside, for 40 years. We’ve been complaining
about it for 40 years. And we keep talking about our failure in
this sense.
But there is one single point that has never changed in the process. No
matter how hard or how often we organize conferences outside, or our
people show up on international TVs or despite all advertisements or
conferences held, nothing is more effective than inviting foreigners
over Turkey.
So let’s invite foreign faculty members, representatives of
non-governmental organizations, foreign journalists or politicians to
Turkey. Let’s spend our money to take our speakers to abroad but to
host our foreign guests here in Turkey. I’ve seen plenty of examples.
Our European addressees reluctantly lend an ear to information about
Turkey in Europe. For instance, in Paris and in a familiar environment,
the French or the Dutch cannot fully perceive what these Turkish guests
saying. No matter how hard we try, they cannot overcome prejudices
they have.
However, if a French journalist or a politician or a diplomat leaves
his own familiar environment and comes to Istanbul or Ankara or Kars,
in the far east tip of Turkey, that person becomes all eyes and ears
to you.
Not hearing or watching but personally experiencing things affect a
person and personal experience helps one to rid of prejudices. I am
very certain since I had so many experiences. The only way to promote
Turkey is to invite our addressees over Turkey.