ERDOGAN LIKELY TO ATTEND US NUCLEAR SUMMIT
Hurriyet Daily News
March 31 2010
Turkey
In a move to reduce the ongoing tension between the two-long time
allies, Turkey is likely to re-send its ambassador to Washington
ahead of an international nuclear summit on April 12, according to
diplomatic sources.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu are expected to attend the meeting although their presence
has not yet been officially announced.
According to diplomats, Ambassador Namık Tan’s return and Erdogan’s
visit to the United States was only made possible following a lengthy
telephone conversation between Davutoglu and U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton on Sunday.
The relations between the two countries were strained by the adoption
of a resolution on Armenian "genocide" claims in the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the House of Representatives on March 4. Blaming the U.S.
administration for not doing enough to stop the approval of the
resolution, Turkey recalled its ambassador in protest.
Some in Ankara had called for Erdogan to cancel his trip to the U.S.
following the vote.
However, recent diplomatic activity reveals that both Tan and Erdogan
could depart for Washington in the coming days.
Following the telephone conversation, Turkish officials said there
was a 50 percent chance Erdogan would travel to the U.S.
Officials also said Ankara was awaiting strong signals from the U.S.
regarding the Armenian resolution, along with assurances from
Washington about the Turkish-Armenian protocols following only
qualified approval for the documents from Armenian top.
According to sources, there are a number of good reasons for Erdogan’s
participation at the summit as Erdogan’s absence would likely be
interpreted as a protest against U.S. President Barack Obama.
At the same time, the unnamed officials said the prime minister’s
no-show would be counter-productive for the country’s national
interests, especially when coming immediately before April 24, the
day Obama will issue an annual message commemorating the killing of
Armenians in 1915.
Obama has also invited Armenian President Serge Sarkisian to the
summit. Although the venue is not considered the best venue for a
bilateral meeting between Erdogan and Sarkisian, officials said the
absence of senior Turkish government members would be a disadvantage.
Another important reason for Erdogan’s possible attendance remains
the fact that the summit covers an issue in which Turkey is trying
to play a global role, according to officials. Turkey is an active
country in the fight against the proliferation of nuclear weapons but
also an advocate of the right of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The issues that will be discussed in Washington, including Iran’s
controversial nuclear program, are of the utmost importance for
Turkey, officials said. It is also vital for Turkey to be present at
the summit at a moment when the international community is seeking
a consensus on potential sanctions to be applied against Iran.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
