FOREIGN POLICY ARCHITECT WARNS US ON ARMENIA MOVE

Today’s Zaman
Oct 30 2008
Turkey

The chief foreign policy advisor of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
has warned the future US administration against endorsing Armenian
claims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, saying this
could hurt a recent thawing of Turkish-Armenian relations and torpedo
relations with the United States.

Ahmet Davutoglu, seen as the major architect of the foreign policies
of Erdogan’s government, said in Washington that the US should avoid
"offending" Turkey to ensure that the reconciliation process with
Armenia will continue. "A step in the wrong direction will pose a risk
not only to the Turkish-American strategic cooperation but also to
Turkey’s efforts to reach out to Armenia," Davutoglu told reporters
late on Tuesday after a series of talks with US officials.

The Democratic candidate for US president, Senator Barack Obama,
has made firm pledges to the Armenian-American voters that he will
recognize the allegations of genocide and support a congressional
resolution endorsing the claims. One of the biggest Armenian groups in
the United States, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),
announced last week that it formally endorsed Obama for US president
because of his commitment to Armenians.

Turkey has repeatedly warned in the past that US recognition of the
genocide claims could have an irreversible impact on Turkish-US ties,
newly recovering from a crisis over Iraq. Most Turks favor Obama
over his Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, who has been far
less receptive to Armenian demands during his election campaign so
far, but there are concerns over the prospects that the Democratic
candidate might keep his promise to the Armenian voters if elected.

Davutoglu said the issue has the potential to generate a crisis in
US ties no matter who turns out to be the winner of US elections on
Nov. 4. "If the goal is improvement in Turkish-Armenian relations,
everyone should avoid steps that would offend Turkey," said Davutoglu
in response to a question on concerns over Obama’s pledges to
Armenians. "We have been sharing these thoughts with officials in
the United States. I am not saying, ‘We said this to Obama.’ It is
important that the new administration know about this."

President Abdullah Gul broke a taboo when he visited Armenia in
September to watch a soccer game between national teams of the
two countries. Talks between officials of the two countries, which
have no formal ties since 1993, are under way on normalization of
relations. Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said this
week that the two countries could announce "extraordinary decisions"
at any time, emphasizing that there was no real barrier to efforts
to normalize ties.

Davutoglu echoed Nalbandian’s remarks in a speech at a conference
earlier that day. "We want to have the best relations with
Armenia. … We don’t see Armenia as a threat or enemy," said
Davutoglu. Davutoglu, praised at the conference by former US Ambassador
to Turkey Mark Parris as "Turkey’s Henry Kissinger," has advocated
active and self-confident diplomacy to boost Turkey’s influence in the
Middle East, the Caucasus and the Balkans since the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) first came to power in 2002. He is behind
widely acknowledged steps such as the Turkish-mediated talks between
Syria and Israel as well as a controversial invitation extended to
a Hamas leader in exile to visit Turkey, a move bitterly criticized
by the United States and Israel.

Despite concerns over the Armenian issue and challenges stemming from
an international row over Iran’s nuclear program, Davutoglu predicted a
"success story" in Turkish-US ties in the coming term no matter who
is elected to the White House. "The new president will be the best
friend of Turkey. The accomplishments Turkey has achieved in foreign
policy will be an asset for the United States too," he added.

In Washington Davutoglu had talks with aides of both Obama and
McCain. He also met President George W. Bush’s National Security
Advisor Stephen Hadley, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near
Eastern Affairs David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for European
Affairs Daniel Fried, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European
and Eurasian Affairs Matthew J. Bryza, Undersecretary of Defense for
Policy Eric Edelman and Jim Jeffrey, who has been recently appointed
the new US ambassador to Turkey.