BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- Jonathan Adiri, a leading member of Israeli think-tank the Reut Institute, has called on the US and European Union to reevaluate their approaches towards Turkey. Not only Adiri, but also international lobbies have started to adjust their stances on Turkey, as the summer is about to end and Turkey's post-election profile is taking shape. A report prepared by the International Crisis Group, based in the US, is another indicator of this situation.
Firstly, let me address Adiri's article called `Turkey's regional ascension.' In the piece, Adiri called on Washington and the EU to change their diplomatic stance on Turkey. `A new approach must reflect a recognition of Turkey's growing influence,' he wrote. `The west should work to keep Turkey as the Middle in the East and not push it towards the extremist end of the regional map. Two immediate steps are easy to perform in this regard, in conjunction with re-framing the EU negotiation, while it is still considered a carrot and not a stick. Washington should seriously consider inviting Turkey to the planned Israeli-Palestinian conference as a major stakeholder in the potential re-shaping of the Middle East. In addition, as a "grand-bargain" between the international community and the local actors surrounding Iraq seems to be forming, Turkey should be given a seat at the table, recognizing its worries regarding the Kurds, which is one of the joint-interests gravitating it towards Iran.'
Both the International Crisis Group report and Adiri's piece mention the negative effects of the EU's vacillation on Turkey, putting the Cyprus issue as an obstacle in front of Turkey, the US failure to tackle the terrorist PKK issue, and how Turkey was left alone in its fight against terrorism. It's clear that relations with Turkey won't be fixed unless steps are taken on these issues. The International Crisis Group, which is a very influential think-tank both in Washington and Brussels, also says that if Europe extends its hand to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) to help revive Turkey's EU membership bid, this will entail no losses for the EU, but rather gains.
We should elect a president as soon as possible, form a government and start working in order to influence developments and revive our EU membership talks at a time when Iraq's destiny is forming and the region is being restructured.