BY ISMET BERKAN
RADIKAL- Columnist Ismet Berkan comments on Turkish-US relations. A summary of his column is as follows:
Turkish-American relations are once again in the spotlight. There are two different points of view: ‘We’ve been left alone in this world; we’ve lost our only friend,’ say certain circles. ‘This isn’t a big deal; everything is still OK,’ say others.
Although there are always critical moments and turning points in international relations, such issues should be evaluated in the long term.
As a matter of fact, Turkish-US relations have been going well for 50 years. However, certain problems have cropped up even after a strategic partnership was established between our countries. The first crisis broke out nearly 30 years ago, in 1964. The US stated that if Turkey conducted a military operation on Cyprus, it would leave our government alone in case of a possible Russian attack. In other words, the US warned Ankara that in case of Cyprus intervention Turkey would not be supported by NATO. Under such circumstances, Prime Minister Ismet Inonu chose against an operation on the island but warned, ‘If such a development occurs [i.e., if Turkey is deserted by its NATO allies], a new order will be formed and our country will take a new stance in that order.’
The second significant crisis erupted when the US pushed Turkey to stop the cultivation of opium. Upon this pressure, Ankara buckled and banned the addictive narcotic. However, after a nationalist movement rose in the wake of 1974’s Cyprus Peace Operation, Agriculture Minister Korkut Ozal allowed opium cultivation again without even consulting Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. The US then imposed a weapons embargo on Turkey. In response, the Suleyman Demirel government closed down all American military bases in the country. Some years passed, the embargo was lifted, and the US military bases and facilities were then re-opened.
We can give other significant examples of such crises. For example there were periods in our history that Ankara, disappointed with the US meager offerings of financial assistance, sought a closer relationship with the Soviet Union. Such moves led to US anger and intervention in our domestic politics.
Finally, the Iraq war led to another crisis. We all wonder whether this will be a protracted one. However, it’s clear to me that despite some problems, our two countries will again manage to overcome this crisis because we have so much in common. Both share the same vision and the same strategic view towards both the Middle East in particular, and world politics in general. When we look at the Iraq issue from this standpoint, can’t we see that a democratic, stable and unified Iraq will also be beneficial for us? Isn’t it in our interest to have democratic neighbors? So what’s the problem? Turkey and the US should mend their relations and re-establish a strong cooperation. That’s the only way to deal with our common problems.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION