BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
STAR- Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli writes on Turkey’s relations with the US and the European Union. A summary of her column is as follows:
In the wake of the Iraq war, most Turkish politicians are asking themselves whether they should choose to move closer to Europe or the United States. The question becomes even more complex when it comes to the countries like Turkey, which are geographically close to Europe but strategically speaking partners of the United States.
Following the US and Britain, Turkey has the most developed army in the world. However, the Turkish economy has failed to improve our military technology. As a matter of fact, our politicians are currently between the devil and the deep blue sea: If they choose to meet all the US’ strategic demands, they fail to support the Turkish economy and ignore their own people’s cry for a better future. However, if they refuse the US demands as during the Iraq war, bilateral relations with the US will be strained.
However, there are certain other countries which have already solved this dilemma. For example, Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Prime Minister Adnan Terzic seems to have overcome this crisis very easily. Speaking to Turkish journalists before his meetings in Ankara this week, Terzic said that he was well aware that it was a must for his country to catch up with EU standards for the sake of bettering his country. However, he also didn’t shrink from openly expressing his lack of confidence in European countries concerning security issues. He hasn’t forgotten how these countries opposed US interference in the Bosnia war but themselves failed to address regional problems and so caused the war to worsen.
‘The EU countries once had the opportunity to earn our confidence,’ said Terzic. ‘However, they missed it. We want NATO, and especially US forces, to stay in our country until peace and stability are fully established.’
Even the prime minister of a country located at the center of Europe says that the US is a must to ensure the safety of his people.
It seems that there will soon be two poles in the world, the US on the one hand, and Europe on the other. Turkey should reconsider relations between its politicians and army in this context. Because countries failing to address this development will always waver between the two poles.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION