Is A New Turkey On The Way?

BY CUNEYT ULSEVER
HURRIYET- A number of people have taken upon themselves the task of making a new Turkey, along the following lines:

1. Their aim is to turn Turkey into a Middle Eastern country which has a mixture of conservative values and democratic principles. If they succeed, we could become the dominant country in the region.

2. But this doesn't mean breaking off from the West. On the contrary, Turkey would mover closer to the West and act as a bridge. It would also be in US interests to create a Turkey which is a member of the European Union and also conservative.

3. This conservative Turkey would not be expected to break off from secularism. Secularism is in the nation's blood. The aim is to stop Kemalism from acting as a nationalist ideology which issues harsh criticisms and to remake the image of modern Turkey into one where the influence of Islam is seen everywhere.

4. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) acts with the duty of protecting and safeguarding Kemalism as the established order, but its authority of taking roles and duties upon itself would end.

This Turkey would also be expected to solve its problems with its neighbors (Armenia and Greece), find a final solution to the Cyprus issue, take northern Iraq under its protection, work to protect Iraq's territorial integrity, and help Israel solve the Syrian and Palestinian issues. The most important expectation from Turkey is to calm down Iran, and if this doesn't work, to help the West, particularly the US, in case of a possible attack.

The Constitutional Court will start deliberations on the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) next Monday, and the Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet a few days later. For months we've been arguing over who will stay and who will go. I guess those who support or have adapted themselves to the above model will stay or rise, and those who can't will have to go.

So what do I think about this model prepared for Turkey by foreigners?

1. It will become the dominant country in the Middle East, but I sincerely hope it doesn't break off from the West (the EU and US).

2. I hope the TSK's authority of taking roles onto itself will end.

3. I long for a Turkey which makes peace with its neighbors.

But the concept of a Turkey which has a mixture of conservative values and democratic principles concerns me, for two reasons:

1. Not only certain supporters of Islamic rule, but also some other people suggest that we forsake the principle of secularism so Islamic forces in the West and the Middle East adopt democracy.

2. I don't think the US or the EU has directly suggested that Turkey give up secularism, but I can't guess how far National View and similar groups will go or even if they would go farther than the AKP government.

If a Turkey which has become conservative makes certain concessions from its domestic dynamics, democracy and secularism, the West wouldn't be terribly disturbed by this, because we all know that if you try to mix conservatism and democracy, you have to make concessions from both!