'Turkey's Kissinger' Leads Foreign-Policy Balancing Act



October 30, 2009

During a recent televised discussion on foreign policy, six former Turkish foreign ministers recently gave Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's performance eight out of a maximum of 10 points. The six included some harsh Social Democrat critics of the current Justice and Development (AK) party government.

Even before his promotion from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's special adviser to foreign minister in April, Davutoglu was regarded as the eminence grise behind Turkish foreign policy, and was occasionally even referred to as "Turkey's Kissinger." The Turks love to see their personalities, cities, and performances positively compared with the world's most famous, but Davutoglu doesn't like the comparison.

Still, the 51-year old professor of political science is considered the architect of the new active foreign policy that the AK party has been pursuing since coming to power in 2002: "zero problems" with the neighbors while continuing to maintain traditionally good relations with the West.

The West, Russia, and most members of the international community were pleased when Turkey and Armenia on October 10 signed accords, still to be ratified by the two countries' parliaments, to restore diplomatic ties and open borders after almost a century of enmity. The accords were widely attributed to Davutoglu's personal planning and implementation.

In 2008, he mediated similar indirect talks between Israel and Syria in an effort to take first steps towards a Middle East peace. The effort was met with skepticism by the Bush administration and produced no tangible results, for reasons beyond Ankara's control.

Meanwhile, Turkey's increasingly good relations with Russia and Iran have raised some eyebrows in the West. At the same time, Prime Minister Erdogan's occasionally outrageous criticism of the Israeli operation against Gaza last winter, as well as the exclusion of Israel from a NATO air drill in Turkish skies two weeks ago, have led conservatives in Washington and Europe to ask if Ankara is rethinking its traditionally good relations with Israel. Discussing a potential Israeli attack on Iran, U.S. analyst Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute recently affirmed boldly that "Turkey is now on Iran's side."

Rebalancing, Not Shifting

Since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, Ankara has leaned increasingly towards the West while maintaining no more than functioning good relations with its neighbors. Davutoglu describes Turkey's new foreign policy initiative as a Turkish version of the German Ostpolitik of the 1960s. "Turkey is a natural part of the European continent and culture," he wrote in his book "Strategic Depth," published 10 years ago.

Echoing U.S. President Barack Obama, Davutoglu recently said that Ankara and Washington enjoy a "model partnership." With regard to Turkey's relations with her neighbors and regional policy, on the other hand, he said "zero-problem-based relations" must be transformed into "maximum mutual-interest-based ones."

Both Davutoglu and Erdogan have their roots in Turkey's traditional, conservative, and Islamic thinking. However, improving relations with neighboring states and playing an increasingly leading role in the region seems to be based on real political influence and economic and energy interests, rather than prestige and nostalgia for the old Ottoman Empire, as some suggest. Erdogan and Davutoglu have attracted billions of dollars in Arab investment into Turkey and plan to make the country a main oil and gas corridor between the East and Europe.

While Muslim and non-Muslim neighbors view Ankara's balancing act with both appreciation and suspicion, many in the West suspect that Turkish efforts to promote "mutual interests" between "rogue states" such as Iran and Syria and the West will ultimately end in Turkey's betrayal of Western values and commitments. Others, including the Turkish opposition, even suggest that the ruling AK is tacitly pursuing that goal.

But Davutoglu denies that the axis of Turkey's foreign policy is shifting. A region that is increasingly peaceful, with countries cooperating with one another, is good for the West and the world, he said recently. "This is an exceptional and unique role Turkey could play."

http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkeys_Kissinger_Leads_ForeignPolicy_Balancing_Act/1865343.html

This guy is vastly overrated. I see nothing in his policies which would show enlightenment in Turkey's foreign policy. Just more of the same old crap, warmed over.

USA: open armenian border
Turkey's Kissinger : Yes Sir. Treaty signed as ordered.

USA: be good with iraqi kurds
Turkey's Kissinger : Yes Sir, I am in Erbil and kissing their azz..

USA: be good with pkk
Turkey's Kissinger : Yes Sir, we are showing a great hospitality to all terrorists, sending courts to the border for freeing them.

USA: Take Syria out of Iran's sphere
Turkey's Kissinger : Yes Sir, we are progressing well Sir

USA : Provide a cover for US oil giants aiming the iranian gas fields.
Turkey's Kissinger : Yes Sir , accomplished.

Turkey's Kissinger : Sir I need to be seen as though against israel to accomplish my missions, can you please permit me ?
USA : granted


For Turks, the homeland isn't Turkey, nor yet Turkistan. Their country is a vast, eternal land: Turan!
-Ziya Gokalp-

Great diplomat.

http://www.defencetalk.com/pictures/showfull.php?photo=11825

america works for israel and israel works for america what the hell are you talking about khun

america and israel are enemy's of syria and iran not friends and turkiye changed that by the interest of turkiye iran and EU and the dumb usa and for the nabucoo plan just watch your going to see azeri president wont dare to turn his back on us

Conspiracy theorists are running wild, doing circles by chasing their own tales

ufffffffffffff fu[king hell

hehe ,
his policies failed big time in the very first two steps , ppl really pissed off about "demokratik acilim" B.S. and armenian policy (add the disrespect to Azerbaijan flags) which costed AKP 8 to 10 percent in polls.. it won't surprise me if Erdogan kick him out of cabinet soon. Media doesn't reflect the reactions but there are protests all over the country everyday. it was in Kayseri today, ppl waved Azerbaijan flags with Turkish flags.. Erdo is in cross fire, USA will bitchslap him and cut its support if he won't honor his sign to open borders, it would cost another 8 to 10 point if he opens it which would place AKP to third place. And this is not the only issue, same goes with kurdish approach...
Another big failure is surely kurdish approach, before this approach public anger was limited with PKK, now it is directed to all Kurds thanks to AKP.
What a downfall...
Where is my beer and chips I can't enjoy something more..


For Turks, the homeland isn't Turkey, nor yet Turkistan. Their country is a vast, eternal land: Turan!
-Ziya Gokalp-

Ten thousands ppl protested "demokratik acilim" today in Kayseri, and all you can find about it, one paragraph in Anatolia News Agency's website when you search all media..

http://www.aa.com.tr/index.php?option=com_haber&popup=hayrinti&haber_id=387946

democratic acilim will fail, relations with iraqi kurds will fail accordingly too, armenian approach will fail, .. So all akp policies will certainly fail. what a big joy , lol...


For Turks, the homeland isn't Turkey, nor yet Turkistan. Their country is a vast, eternal land: Turan!
-Ziya Gokalp-

Real Turco- Israel scenario

Israel- You have been a bad boy sucking up to the Arabs and Iranians. Here is some good jewish circumsized cock. Now bend over and grab your ankles. We are tired of paying to be a whore for so long. Now it's time to get our money back.

Turdgay- Evit Efendi Jew. My ghiot is ready for you.

Israel- Your ghiot is so wide I don't feel anything. Open your mouth and swallow now for the Palestinian and the Syrians.,

Turdgay- Efendi it's so wide because the Americans were using it for so long. But I will swallow. Is it Kosher? LOL