BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
STAR- Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on the policy of Turkey and the US towards both Syria and Iran. A summary of her column is as follows:
Everybody’s heard that following Iraq, the US’ next target is Iran. What will Ankara’s stance on this be? Clues could be found in Foreign Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal’s recent visit to Washington. The first impression is as follows: Turkey and the US are both uneasy about the regime in Iran. However, the depth of their respective feelings differs markedly. The US believes that Iraq’s regime must be changed. Though Turkey does want a change in the regime, it won’t break off its communications with Tehran if some of its concerns are addressed.
When he brought these issues up in Washington, Ziyal added, ‘These countries are our neighbors. We have to keep our relations on a certain level due to our nation’s security interests. Of course it’s natural for us to hold contacts with our strategic ally, the United States, in case of important developments.’ In diplomatic language, these words amounted to ‘secret support’ for the US’ policy on Iran and Syria. However, while expressing this support, Ziyal also cautioned US officials about the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) possibly following a ‘religious fellowship’ policy towards Syria and Iran, saying, ‘Turkey’s final stance will be determined within the framework of our parliamentary regime.’
In Washington, Ziyal mentioned two of Turkey’s concerns on the Iran issue. One of them was Iran’s nuclear program. He said that Turkey would look with disfavor on the production of nuclear weapons in its immediate vicinity and that Ankara would begin efforts on the international stage to make Iran’s nuclear program transparent. He also told about Turkey’s initiatives within the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Ziyal also indicated that Turkey’s other concern about Iran was the same as the US’: the Tehran regime’s support for terrorist groups.
The US is concerned with Iran’s financial and logistic support for such terrorist groups as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Turkey is also concerned about KADEK’s activities in Iran. Although the Iranians seem to be working to fight the PKK, it hasn’t yet recognized PKK successor KADEK as a terrorist organization. However, intelligence reports show that most of the components of the PKK-KADEK are still active in Iran. Common concerns about these two issues are creating a rapprochement between Turkey and the US.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION