Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Sept 20 2009
Gov’t initiatives the talk of the town among diplomatic community in
Ankara
Receptions and iftars (fast-breaking dinners) hosted in Ankara in the
last few weeks have been the venue for the typical conversations
between foreign diplomats and correspondents, with each side trying to
get background information from each other on either domestic or
foreign policy issues.
Yet, in the last few weeks, one thing was atypical about those
conversations; rather than sharing their information on certain
issues, they were this time sharing their curiosity about the eventual
fate of certain issues and processes.
Those issues are the government’s recent initiative on the resolution
of the Kurdish issue, and Armenia and Turkey’s declaration of their
desire for normalization of bilateral ties through parliamentary
approval of two protocols following an internal debate. On both
issues, the government and the main opposition parties, the Republican
People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), have
been engaged in a fierce battle while the government has been seeking
public consensus.
Numerous states and international organizations, meanwhile, have
already lent their support via written statements on the Armenian
issue. While apparently taking into consideration the fact that the
Kurdish issue has been considered an internal matter for Ankara, they
have lent their support to this process via individual remarks from
their politicians.
For foreign diplomats based in Ankara, it seems more complicated than
it is for their capital cities and headquarters, as they can feel the
anxiety in the capital in the literal sense. Still, remarks by some of
them, with whom Sunday’s Zaman had the chance to have background
conversations on these issues, indicate that they are both calmer and
more hopeful when compared to the anxiety experienced on the public
stage of the country.
`Democracy is messy’
A senior EU diplomat based in Ankara, speaking with Sunday’s Zaman on
condition of anonymity, described the government’s initiatives on both
the Armenian and Kurdish issues as the `most important issues at this
moment.’
`I think the fact that the government decided to face it in a positive
way is important. Another important point is once the Armenian issue
is faced in this way, it will get positive results. There will be a
positive reaction in Europe and the United States, so this can be seen
in favor of Turkey. The Kurdish issue is a delicate issue, and it is
also important that the government decided to face it. The negative
side is that if the government cannot approach it successfully, there
will be negative repercussions. It is important to go on and get some
positive results. Making progress regarding the Armenian issue is
actually easier,’ the EU diplomat said.
When reminded of the opposition parties’ unsupportive approaches, the
same diplomat said: `As far as it is understood there is no clear
explanation on what the government wants. It is important to know
better, of course, what the Kurdish issue consists of. For the
Armenian issue, it is clearer since there are protocols; yet the
Kurdish issue is less clear. I think the fact that it has been
launched is positive and important in itself, but some clarifications
would be better.’
After noting his country’s support of the Turkish government on these
issues, an Ankara-based Western diplomat first of all highlighted the
importance of dialogue on both the Armenian and Kurdish issues.
`We want to see dialogue in both the Armenian and Kurdish issues
because that’s what democracy tells us to do — maintaining
dialogue. Regarding the Kurdish issue, it is a matter of closing a sad
chapter and it will not be easy but it will be great, like in the
Northern Ireland case,’ the Western diplomat, speaking on condition of
anonymity, told Sunday’s Zaman, in an apparent analogy between the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Irish Republican Army
(IRA) in Northern Ireland.
When asked whether he had any concerns vis-Ã-vis the upcoming
course of affairs on both of the initiatives, the Western diplomat
replied that `concerns are all positive and supportive.’
The same diplomat also noted that he had no particular concerns on the
opposition’s stance, either. `Democracy is messy, like some wise men
say. The opening of this kind of public tradeoff is normal and is part
of the process. The government is, meanwhile, trying to hear and
handle these statements.’
Delivery time
Both of these issues are high on the agenda of the diplomatic
community because there have been many talks to date, and now it is
somehow time to deliver, another EU diplomat based in the Turkish
capital told Sunday’s Zaman.
`These kinds of processes take time, but sometimes you have to take
certain steps which will give new life and positive momentum to the
ongoing process. This is what Europeans hope to see. That’s why they
see the Armenian roadmap movement and dynamics concerning Armenia as
developments which make them hopeful,’ the same EU diplomat, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said.
`As for the process with the Kurds, that’s the same — there have been
nonsense years of confrontation. Now the government is approaching
stakeholders, the opposition, neighbors; all of this is seen as signs
of hope and optimism on a vital issue. Hope of a solution first of all
shows to a European observer that Turkish foreign policy is an active
one, exerting efforts to decrease tensions and taking constructive
steps to create stability. This is definitely something positive for a
country which aspires to become a member of the EU. Having in mind
that one day Turkey will be a member, it’s very good that Turkey will
have solved the issues with neighboring countries by that time; that’s
why EU figures are both excited and nervous,’ the diplomat said.
He also said he believed if similar initiatives had been launched in a
European country, it is likely that the opposition parties would try
to publicly support these initiatives, unlike what has been happening
in Turkey.
`The reluctance of the opposition to join in would at least not be
seen as a very constructive approach. These are important projects,
and just saying, `We don’t like it’ might not be good. Even the
military is going along with this initiative, although maybe
cautiously. There might be good reason to give a chance to maintaining
national consensus in order to give a strong message to the world.’
An irreversible process
Both the Armenian and Kurdish issues are, of course, the talk of the
town and a primary concern for every diplomat, a senior Middle Eastern
diplomat told Sunday’s Zaman, underlining the Kurdish initiative’s
significance as a major change in internal policy. According to him,
it’s a huge development regardless of what will happen in the end.
The same diplomat said foreign diplomats have also been following the
developments carefully because they are trying to estimate the
implications of these initiatives in the region.
`I believe there will be a huge external implication related to Syria
and Iraq as well as Turkey’s position regarding international
terrorism. We hope it will succeed, and that depends on a lot
factors. It seems as though the process is still ongoing, but details
of this process aren’t clear,’ he said, speaking on condition of
anonymity. `But the fact that the government has taken such a huge
step and decided to address such a big issue is very important for the
development of Turkey.’
The same diplomat avoided commenting on the opposition’s approach as
he said it’s an internal matter for Turkey while stressing that he was
confident that any breakthrough in Turkey’s relations with Armenia
will be welcomed in the Middle East region.
`The main fact of addressing these issues and starting a momentum is
50 percent of resolving the issue. Not ignoring or bypassing these
chronic issues is a very courageous step,’ he said.
Focusing on the Kurdish issue, the diplomat added: `The details differ
from one group to another, but my understanding is that it is an
ongoing development. We might witness unforeseen developments, either
positive or negative because there is no roadmap on the Kurdish
issue. The government is apparently in the process of making a
roadmap. The problem is a complicated one and it is not possible to
expect its resolution within a few months. Yet, as a diplomat, I
believe an irreversible process has started.’
20 September 2009, Sunday
EMÄ°NE KART ANKARA