OBAMA’S SYMPATHY TOWARDS ARMENIAN, KURDISH LOBBY CAN HARM US-TURKEY TIES

TREND
Nov 7 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 November/ TrendNews, corr B. Hasanov/ If Barack
Obama’s pro-Armenian position he demonstrated during election campaign
and his sympathy for Kurds influences his political decisions during
his presidency, it can harm US-Turkey relations to a great extent.

"During Obama’s term of office, serious contradictions can appear in
foreign policy of the United States and Turkey," well-known Turkish
expert Husnu Mahalli said to TrendNews by telephone from Istanbul.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has sent a congratulatory letter to the
newly-elected US president Barack Obama. In his letter, Gul expressed
his hope that US-Turkey ties will strengthen, CNNTURK reported.

Turkey-US ties strengthened after World War II. During cold war, Turkey
became one of the major allies of the Unites States in a fight against
enlargement of the Soviet Union and socialist bloc to West. At that
time, US rendered economic and military assistance to Turkey. Instead,
Turkey took part in the Armed Forces in Korean war in 1950-1953. In
1952, Turkey was admitted to NATO, military wing of Western bloc led
by US. In 1954, Turkey permitted US to build Injirlik military base
in its territory. This base played a great role during cold war,
first war in the Gulf and the Iraqi war.

In 1980s and 1990s, Turkey-US relations further enhanced and in 1991
Turkey supported US to a great extent in the first Gulf war. However,
so-called claim of "Armenian genocide" that appeared during these
years caused political tension in US-Turkey relations. When US wanted
to use Turkish territory for intervention into Iraq in 2003, Turkey
answered in the negative which evoked a big tension between the two
countries. However, there has been a thaw in Turkey-US relations
since 2007. Kurdish Labor Party and so-called Armenian genocide are
the most vulnerable issues in Turkey-US ties.

Turkey is concerned over certain statements made by US President
barrack Obama during election campaign. In particular, Turkey is
concerned over Obama’s pro-Armenian approach to the issue of "Armenian
genocide". Mehelli said there is a reason for concerns. "During
election campaign Obama said he recognizes "Armenian genocide" and
gave consent in a written form that he will raise this question in
the Congress.

Obama’s Political position does not coincide with that of Turkey
not only is the issue of genocide, but also in the issue of Kurds,
he said. Mehelli attributed Obama’s different position to the people
around him. "Vice President Joseph Biden has good relations with
Armenian lobby and has a great sympathy for Kurds. His position can
cause problems in US-Turkey relations in future," Mehelli said.

Shanli Bahadir Koch, Strategic Studies Center for the United States
said Obama’s attitude towards Armenian and Kurdish lobby can lead
to a political tension between then two countries. The most alarming
issue is Obama’s position towards the so-called "genocide". There are
some alarming points in Obama’s position towards Kurds as well. If
Obama pulls out US troops from Iraq in a short-term period as he
promised, in order to hinder Turkey to intervene into North Iraq, he
will demand Turkey to recognize Kurdish administration in Iraq and
establish good relations. Excluding "genocide" and issue of Kurds,
there are many points in Obama’s foreign policy coinciding with that of
Turkey. "Obama’s efforts to solve Near East and Iraq problems through
dialogue fully coincide with the political position of Turkey, Koch
said to TrendNews by telephone from Ankara.

European expert Svante Cornell believes that Obama’s foreign policy
line will depend on a team he will choose. "One can analyze Obama’s
foreign policy after he appoints the secretaries of departments,"
Kornel said to TrendNews by telephone from Stokholm. He said US
presidential candidates always make such statements during election
campaign. However, they act on the base of realities after they
assume office.

Newly-elected US President Barack Obama will assume office on 20
January 2009.