TURKEY ALTERS ITS COMPASS
Linda S. Heard

Al-Arabiya
010/02/09/99869.html
Feb 9 2010
UAE

Turkey’s affiliations under the leadership of the Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim, are swinging from
West to East. This is good news for the Arab world as Ankara is a
major political and military player on the international stage with
substantial clout. In recent times, Turkey has thawed the freeze with
Syria by signing a slew of economic, cultural, social and strategic
cooperation agreements and is mulling over lifting visa restrictions
for Syrian and Lebanese nationals.

At the same time, Turkey is reaching out to Armenia by setting up a
commission to study the World War I conflict that robbed the lives
of over a million Ottoman-Armenians. Last October, Ankara and Yerevan
signed protocols designed to establish ties that would result in the
reopening of their border but the main sticking point is Armenia’s
insistence that Turkey and the international community officially
recognize the Armenian genocide. Turkey has always resisted that
damning label and always insisted that those who died were casualties
of conflict.

Simultaneously, the Erdogan government is cementing relations with
Russia with trade and energy agreements; Russia currently supplies
around 65 percent of Turkey’s natural gas requirements and may assist
Turkey with the construction of a nuclear energy plant. This new
closeness has resulted in plans to extend cooperation to the South
Caucasus, traditionally within Russia’s sphere of influence, as well
as visa-free travel for the citizens of both nations.

" But there the love fest ends. Ankara’s relations with some of its
traditional allies are strained to say the least "Likewise, Ankara
currently enjoys good relations with Tehran. Earlier this month,
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki held talks in Ankara with
Prime Minister Erdogan involving the transportation of Iranian natural
gas to Europe via Turkey, establishing a joint refinery, jointly
constructing industrial centers and increasing bilateral trade from
$10 billion annually to $30 billion. The Turkish minister of state
said Turkey is keen to begin a "golden age" in Turkish-Iranian ties.

While Turkey is against nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, it
backs Iran’s right to nuclear energy and does not support anti-Iranian
sanctions.

But there the love fest ends. Ankara’s relations with some of its
traditional allies are strained to say the least.

Its important strategic alliance with Washington, which culminated in
America’s Incirlik Air base was shaken when the U.S. invaded Iraq in
2003. Turkey was against the Iraq war from the get-go and blames it
for strengthening Kurdish secessionist ambitions. And when, in 2007,
the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a resolution in
favor of Armenia’s stance on the alleged "genocide," Turkey temporarily
withdrew its ambassador from Washington.

However, for its part, the U.S. government tends to tread softly with
Turkey in light of its NATO role as a strong eastern bulwark and its
hosting of Incirlik which was a crucial asset during the Cold War and
the 1991 Gulf War. Turkey’s importance to Washington was reflected by
President Barack Obama’s official visit, last April, criticized within
some U.S. circles as blessing a country embarked on establishing a
powerful Islamic bloc contrary to American interests. The U.S. has
also fervently backed Turkey’s efforts to join the EU, which has been
somewhat of an annoyance to European countries that are vehemently
opposed.

Indeed, hopes of Turkey’s EU membership are fast fading. With some
reluctance, the 27-member union began talks on Turkey’s eventual entry
in 2005 but despite Turkey’s compliance with entrance requirements,
such as a ban on capital punishment, it is still being criticized on
its failure to reach an accord on the divided island of Cyprus. The
latter accusation is unfounded when it was a Greek-Cypriot ballot
that stymied progress.

" Then, last month, Israel’s discourteous treatment of Turkish
Ambassador Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, called to answer Israeli criticisms of
a Turkish television series that painted Israelis in a negative light,
caused a diplomatic incident "The Turkish government believes France
and Germany, in particular, are erecting obstacles where none exist.

Both of these "old European" countries have been open in
their opposition to Turkish accession, preferring a "privileged
partnership." French President Nicolas Sarkozy is fiercely opposed. In
2007, he said this: "I do not think Turkey has a place in Europe"; its
place is in "Asia Minor." And, last year, Sarkozy warned Obama to stay
out of Europe’s business when it comes to Turkey’s EU bid. It’s little
wonder, therefore, that Ankara is hedging its bets by cultivating
other alliances even while it’s officially sticking to the EU program.

But the relationship that is most in jeopardy is with Israel, which
goes back to 1948 when Turkey was the first predominantly Muslim
country to recognize the Jewish state. Since, the two countries have
benefited from military cooperation in terms of arms sales, joint
maneuvers, and pilot exchanges. They also enjoy trade relations and
have signed a "Turkish-Israeli Free Trade Agreement." That warmth
has now been replaced by a distinct chill for various reasons.

In the first instance, Erdogan has loudly condemned Israel’s Operation
Cast Lead in Gaza to the extent of walking off a stage at the World
Economic Forum in Davos last year after angrily sparring over the issue
with Israeli President Shimon Peres. The Turkish PM has referred to
Israel’s attack as "disproportionate" and "a crime against humanity."

Then, last month, Israel’s discourteous treatment of Turkish Ambassador
Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, called to answer Israeli criticisms of a Turkish
television series that painted Israelis in a negative light, caused
a diplomatic incident.

This was sparked by Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon who
ordered the removal of the Turkish flag during a joint press conference
and told Israeli journalists to take note that the Turkish diplomat
was seated on a low sofa while the Israeli officials had been given
much higher chairs.

Erdogan was quick to warn Israel that its deliberate humiliation
of its diplomat threatened bilateral cooperation. "Losing a friend
like Turkey in the future should be an issue to which Israel should
give some thought…" he said. The tense situation was calmed by an
apology from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Turkish government is currently walking a tightrope over the
Bosphorus between the east and the west but in the event it decides to
take a giant leap toward the Orient, Israel and its European allies
will have only themselves to blame. Their loss will undoubtedly be
this region’s gain