LETTERS TO THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE

New York Times
Nov 12 2009

LinkedinDiggFacebookMixxMySpaceYahoo! BuzzPermalinkPublished: November
12, 2009 Regarding Patrick Seale’s article "The rise of Turkey"
(Views, Nov.

5): Mr. Seale is right that Turkey as a regional power can contribute
to peace and stability in the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central
Asia. Some of Ankara’s new policies, such as the rapprochement with
Armenia, are steps in that direction.

Turkey is also to be commended for its attempt last year to mediate
between Israel and Syria. Unfortunately, Turkey seems for the time
being to have disqualified itself as mediator because of its statements
on the Israeli-Gaza war.

Mr. Seale also ignores other events. For example, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, recently met with President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad of Iran. Also, the Turkish government has extended an
invitation to Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who has been
indicted by the International Criminal Court for orchestrating the
genocide in Darfur.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress