Posted on 06/30/2004 8:27:57 AM PDT by a_Turk
Turkey is coming to its senses after the NATO summit, which paralysed the centre of Istanbul. The summit is over and the country has found itself in the new role of a pilot fish showing the whale (meaning Europe, NATO, and the West as a whole) the way to the Muslim world.
Ankara has been preparing for this role. "Turkey is no longer a peripheral state but a key ally" for NATO. That phrase, which Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul uttered before the Istanbul summit and printed by many publications and repeated by other prominent Turks in one form or another, is absolutely true. If NATO really wants to deal with Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East (and the decisions of the Istanbul summit point to this), Turkey will be the key, or (geographically) border, state in this unexpected role for the alliance.
The roles of many other states that were important when NATO's only targets were the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact will change accordingly. They have not become aware of or expressed these new realities, but Turkey knows for sure that its situation is changing and will try to gain the maximum advantages.
It would be interesting to know what attitudes and ideas Turkey can offer NATO on the "eastern" (in the new meaning) direction. According to what Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told this correspondent in Istanbul, NATO and Moscow may have more points of contact than may seem at first glance, and Turkey can play its role in this context. He also inferred that Turkey's position is close to that of Moscow and several other European capitals.
Russia-Turkey relations are approaching the stage of "multidimensional partnership," said the minister, in part because they have "common regional interests," including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr Lavrov mentioned more active Moscow-Ankara contacts. He said he would like Turkey to play a more active part in regional affairs and the world as a whole and recalled the common attitudes of the two countries "on the role of multilateral institutes and the UN in international affairs."
Turkey and Russia are also similar in that they are all but the only countries located simultaneously in Europe and in Asia, added Lavrov. Moreover, they have experience of harmonious relations between nations and religions.
Many European countries do not have such experience, simply because of their geography and the structure of their population. They are not regarded as "one of us" in the Muslim world, unlike Turkey.
This is probably why Abdullah Gul said in one of his eloquent statements in Istanbul about the Middle Eastern initiative of President George W. Bush: "Though Turkey supports the idea of change in the Muslim world, we have the following conditions: it should be not interference but partnership, not the enforcement [of ideas] but regional authorship."
Everything that happens in Iraq is vital for Turkey, above all because of the Kurds, who live in Northern Iraq and Southeast Turkey. Kurdish separatism has left 30,000 dead in Turkey. Consequently, Ankara desperately needs the occupation authorities to prevent the split of Iraq into several parts, including a Kurdish one, as this would encourage Turkish Kurds, many of whom had been hiding in Iraq, to act.
Another reason for Turkey's particular interest in Iraq is the business contacts at the medium and low levels. As India is a special country for Afghanistan, though an aloof onlooker will hardly see this, so Turkey is a special country for Iraq.
It should be remembered that Turkey, though it is a NATO member, did not allow US troops to use its territory for launching the war on Iraq. This is one more reason for the Turks to be seen as good neighbours.
It is logical that Ankara has become more active today, at the beginning of the transition of real sovereignty in Iraq to the Iraqis. Now is the time for mediators, countries such as Turkey (and, in a manner, Russia), which, by being both in the West and in the East, can advance their own ideas of what should be done in the Middle and Near East.
Since many European countries, especially small ones, avoided playing any role in the remote and strange Afghanistan and subsequently in Iraq, it is clear that Turkey will have the opportunity to play its special part. On the other hand, it is not clear what contribution can it make to the future of Iraq's and Afghanistan's recovery, as well as the Middle East settlement and how this may change the image of Turkey. So far, we hear only general statements, like the one made by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said that in the 21st century his country would become the symbol of harmony between cultures and civilisations in the epicentre of the geopolitical arena.
However, one thing is clear: the most impressive episode of the NATO summit was the speech by French President Jacques Chirac, who advised George W. Bush not to interfere in the European dispute over the admission of Turkey to the EU. This is certainly a painful question, but it seems now that Turkey will sail into the EU if it becomes indispensable for Europe's policy vis-Þ-vis Iraq and Afghanistan.
And the last thing. This current "chance for Turkey" looks strangely similar to the chance for Russia, if we can describe in this manner everything that happened in Russia-West relations after September 11, 2001, when they found a great number of common vital interests.
As President Bush pointed out if there is one nation which could avert the clash of Civilizations it is Turkey.
After all Turkey is the only functioning Democracy in the muslim World which is ruled by the rule of law. Turkey is also a sea of tranquility in terms in an often turbulent region.
With a dynamic population of almost 70 million increasingly wealthier citizenry, the 16th lagest economy in the world as well as the sixth largest military this is definitely a major player and a regional super-power.
"May you live in interesting times" is supposed to be a curse..
ping..
They are very successful in purging Christians. The Asia Minor - part of core Christian lands (where most of first Ecumenical Councils took place) now is 99.9% Muslim. Way to go for Europe and America.
Pretty good article until it made this bonehead statement. This could only be true if Iraqis preferred to be living under Saddam Hussein.
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Firas Adnan, right, his toungue cut off more than a year ago, talks to a reporter in his home in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites) Wednesday, June 30, 2004. Just before the regime fell, the 24-year-old laborer quarreled with a Saddam loyalist, who punished him by chopping off his tongue. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) |
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It's the Russians who produced this article. Hope that helps you understand the rhetoric, and perhaps even the motivation.
My coat-tails are getting heavier and heavier..
I recognized the source. They usually print silly stuff, although this had some meat on the bones.
No need to be defenseive a_turk. Turkey truelly does have the potential to be a great nation. In fact, imho, Turkey should tell the EU to put it where the sun don't shine. Turkey and Iraq should lead a new Middle East Economic zone.
I agree.
It is a well-known fact that Turkey is predominantly a "muslim" country. This is also country known for its "Religious Tolerance" as the Sephardic Jews finding safe haven many centuries ago as well as more recent immigrants during World War II will attest to.
Some of the most significant Christian churches in the World stand tall throughout Turkish Anatolia as they have survived unscratched through many centuries.
It is a fallacy and "utmost" ignorance to falsely claim anything contrary to the much cherished Turkish tolerance of all religions. May I suggest "enlightenment" and objective research in the age of the Internet ?.
The statement regarding "purging" is a falsity and simply untruth. As hundreds if not a couple of thousand churches operate on a daily basis without interference is a testament to religious tolerance in this country.
Turkey is 95% muslim in the very same way as France, Britain etc are 95% Christian. This is why one calls France a christian country whereas Turkey is known as a muslim country ??? :-)
"bias" and "prejudice" amount to nothing other than the darkness of the Middle Ages in year 2,004 !.
Not true. Asia Minor was a Christian land long before Turks invaded it from Asian steppes. Even until XX century there were millions of Greek and Armenian Christians in todays Turkey. The Constantinople was the greatest Christian city and now has a couple thousands of elderly survivors. Few more years and the "democratic and tolerant" Turkey will be Christian free.
It is crystal clear that much "enlightenment" needs to be done however for enlightenment to take hold there needs to be willingness as well as commitment to truth !.
On this planet there are three major monotheistic religions and when we call a country a "Christian" country that simply implies that christians are the overwhelming majority. In the case of Turkey as it is called a Muslim country that simply means the muslim population is the great majority.
However apart from that very proudly one can be of whatever religious affliation one chooses to suscribe. There is absolute freedom of religion. One is free to go to a church or to a synagogue or to a mosque. There is no compulsion as such behavior would be contrary to the much cherished Turkish tradition of religious tolerance.
When one considers the fact that countries like Greece have been under the Turkish Domination for 600 years and yet as they were allowed to practice their own religion they are christian nations today.
May I suggest that you fully read the previous posting before jumping on to Medieval Mindset and Prejudice ?. May I also suggest that you do your very own "independent" research as to the admirable degree of religious freedom Turks have always afforded to those they ruled over the many centuries ?.
Religious Bigotry cannot possibly be the foundation of any intellectual discourse !.
I thought this thread was about France.
Whole today Turkey was Christian a few centures ago. Only this parts of Greece (whole coast of Turkey was Greek for more than 3000 years) and Armenia survived which were outside of Turkish borders. There are few Christian survivors left within the boders. You cannot deny cold facts.
[...] Medieval Mindset and Prejudice ?.
"Prejudice"? You are dealing with postjudice here!
You seem to be behind the times by 551 years as you are calling "Istanbul" by its incorrect name !.
Throughout human history countries have invaded one another. Perhaps such is the name of the game or perhaps it is called "Social Darwinism" ?.
So there were millions of muslims in Greece once upon a time ... as well as that other tiny land-locked city-state to the East of Turkey !. So there were millions of muslims in Bosnia before attempts to eradiacte them ?.
"Asian steppes" ???. A good part of today's Europe had their origins in those "Asian Steppes" (e.g Finland, Norway, Hungary etc etc) ?. Asian steppes as opposed to WHAT ?.
Time does not have the luxury of being reversed. All we have is one planet to live on and co-exist peacefully.
There is no other choice really !.
Millions? Where did they fit in tiny Bosnia?
The exact numbers are not the point !.
The point is the reprehensible and unforgivable "bigotry"; the tool of an ignorant state of mind decidedly stuck in the Middle Ages ?.
Nobody on this planet stands on a white horse although there may be those who erroneously and foolishly make the baseless presumption.
"supremacism" of any kind is only an illusion and the work of minds stuck in the darkness of Medieval Ages !. This social ill suffered fortunately by a tiny minority is really the cause behind much of the conflict in this World.
Nobody gets to claim "supremacy" of any kind over any other human being or any other society. Such claims, if made, are merely the ranting of unhealthy minds.
Supremacism is rather a modern idea originating in so called Enlightenment, but why are you talking about supremacism?
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