WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING TO TURKEY?
Hurriyet
May 13 2010
Turkey
A recent spate of contacts between Turkish leaders and heads of
state of Middle Eastern countries has revived the "Turkey is changing
direction and turning to the Islamic world" argument once again. The
Wall Street Journal carried a news analysis piece earlier this week
with the title "What is happening to Turkey?"
Its author, Bret Stephens, even featured historian Bernard Lewis
suggesting that "in a decade the secular republic founded by Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk might more closely resemble the Islamic Republic of
Iran–even as Iran transformed itself into a secular republic."
Sadly, Prof. Lewis, who has some excellent books on Turkish history,
appears to have seriously lost touch with a reality that he should
be much more familiar with, given his contacts with this country. The
sociological dynamics in Turkey today require a better understanding
of what is going on.
On the other hand, whatever may be read into the increased contacts
between Turkey and Islamic countries in its region considered
"unsavory" by Western countries, the picture is much larger on that
side of the fence also. The high profile visit by Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev to Turkey and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
high profile visit to Athens today provide two concrete examples.
If we take the first of these, one can easily say, if U.S. President
Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey was the highlight of 2009, Medvedev’s
visit to Turkey is the highlight of 2010. In fact, one can even go
further and suggest that the latter visit has produced much more in
terms of concrete results than the former.
There is no doubt, for example, that Washington is looking on with a
certain chagrin as Turkey awards a $20 billion nuclear power plant
contract to Russia and signs documents that propose a $100 billion
volume of trade as well as billions of dollars worth of investments,
all suggesting a rapidly growing strategic partnership.
There must be further annoyance as Ankara and Moscow reveal positions
that are not too dissimilar on issues such as Iran and Hamas or
relations with Syria, where President Medvedev actually was visiting
just prior to coming to Ankara.
One can also assume that many in Europe are also following these
developments, and there are suggestions now that EU officials are
annoyed that visa restrictions are being lifted, not just with
Russia – as was decided during the Medvedev visit – but also with
other regional countries. These officials clearly have immigration
concerns on their minds, but that is of no consequence to Turks,
who do not enjoy easy access to Europe, even if they are officials,
businessmen or well known actors.
Looking at these momentous developments in Turkish-Russian relations,
then, one wonders what should be attracting more notice – and perhaps
causing more concern: Turkey’s developing ties with Middle Eastern
countries or with Russia? Regarding the long-term effects with regional
as well as global consequences, there can be no doubt that developing
ties with Russia will have great significance for the Caucasus, the
Middle East and the Balkans, all regions Europe is also interested in.
While many in the West may be locked into their "Islamic paranoia"
and reflect this, as Prof. Lewis is quoted as having done, it is clear
policy planners in Europe will have to look at the "Turkish question"
from a broader perspective now in light of these developments and of
what is happening in Europe.
The second momentous event mentioned above involves Prime Minister
Erdogan’s visit to Athens, which starts Friday. Mr. Erdogan’s being
accompanied by a host of ministers and officials responsible for
economic and commercial affairs indicates that this will not be just a
"pro forma visit for the sake of nice publicity shots."
Turkey is not only being touched adversely by the Greek economic
crisis, but also finds potential political and economic benefits
that may accrue for both countries from this. No doubt Greek planners
are now looking to the future more realistically and considering the
great advantages of further developing ties with Turkey, which has
an economy that is increasingly important for the region.
The significant thing here is that these developing ties with Greece
do not fit into the "Turkey is slipping gradually to the Islamic world"
format either – just like the ties Ankara is developing with EU member
Bulgaria, or trying to develop with Armenia against all odds. What is
happening, though, and perhaps what is really bothering some people
in Washington and Europe, is that Turkey is increasingly becoming a
free agent in its decisions.
The critical mass it has secured economically and politically is
freeing its hands from previous encumbrances, many of which were the
product of dependencies. Turkey is still a long way away from being
able to say "look out world, here I come" of course, and there is no
point in being naive about this. But the direction it is moving in is
one that no one can afford to overlook. It is also one that requires
a realistic understanding of what is really happening to Turkey?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
