BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
STAR- Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on Turkish-Syrian relations. A summary of her column is as follows:
In the past, Turkish-Syrian relations have often been strained due to certain political hot potatoes. First of all, Turkey was seriously concerned about late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad’s support for the terrorist PKK and its leader Abdullah Ocalan. Another critical issue was our neighbor’s claim that the Turkish province of Hatay is in fact Syrian territory. In addition, Damascus often brought cross-border water issues onto Ankara’s agenda, complaining about the dams we constructed on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Syria argued that these waters should be shared equally. Sometimes tension increased so much that the world feared an outbreak of open hostilies between the two neighbors. Both countries found themselves engaged in occasional saber-rattling.
However, these crises ended after the elder Assad’s death and Syria’s expulsion of Ocalan. Then Assad’s son Bashar al-Assad came to power, reputedly a more moderate political figure. The most important sign of the end of bilateral tensions was this week’s historic visit by Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro to Ankara. He was the first Syrian premier to visit our country in 17 years. During Miro’s visit, Ankara and Damascus decided to strengthen their cooperation, indicating their determination to overcome all crises. Furthermore, the two neighbors decided to resume negotiations on cross-border water issues which had been initiated a full decade ago. The decision to resume water talks was made at the political level, and the appropriate technicians and bureaucrats have been told to get prepared.
Turkey wants the Tigris and Euphrates to be regarded as a ‘single cross-border water system’ comprising the two rivers and a basin.
Ankara previously presented a three-phase plan to both Syria and Iraq on the issue. The plan urged the three countries to carry out studies to find new ways to use the waters more efficiently and develop new means towards this goal. However, Ankara’s proposal was never put into practice because Damascus and Baghdad wanted us to accept that the three countries have equal rights to the rivers. Now Turkey is expected to bring its proposal to the agenda once again.
The Hatay problem was never discussed during Miro’s contacts in Ankara. Turkish Foreign Ministry officials state that Bashar al-Assad needs time to reduce tension on this issue since his father trumpeted it as a ‘serious national issue with Turkey,’ thus inciting his people’s animosity against the Turks. As Syria has at least turned down the volume on its territorial demands, Ankara believes that it should grant time to al-Assad on the issue.
Ankara is now waiting for the Syrian president’s visit. Damascus is saying that al-Assad should pay a visit to Turkey this fall. This is good news from the south. Even while problems continue to escalate in Iraq, our relations with another neighbor are on the upswing...