By Yusuf Kanli
TDN- Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin was in Ankara on Monday for a state visit unmatched in the history of relations between the Turkish and Russian nations.
The Russian president and his host President Ahmet Necdet Sezer oversaw the signing of a series of agreements aimed at further boosting the mushrooming trade and commercial relations between the former Cold War rivals.
Subsequently, the two presidents signed a protocol in relation to a “multi-dimensional partnership” between the two countries, avoiding the use of the word “strategic” -- a word Turks and Americans were using until the March 1, 2003, rejection by Parliament for the use of Turkish territory for U.S. attacks upon Iraq -- in describing this newly found, loving relationship between their two nations.
The protocol though could be described as symbolic, and perhaps just an updated version of an earlier protocol signed by the foreign ministers of both countries, nevertheless, the latest protocol is, indeed, very important as it demonstrates the presence of political will at the highest level between Moscow and Ankara for further enhancing and deepening the cooperation between both countries.
One of the accords newly signed, on the other hand, is of crucial importance, namely, “Cooperation against terrorism.”
Turkey has been one of the countries worst hit by terrorism, although over the past few years there has been a marked decrease in terrorist activities by the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that waged a 15-year separatist campaign of which claimed the lives of at least 30,000 Turkish nationals.
The Russian Federation, however, has been suffering seriously from terrorism -- as was demonstrated bitterly at Beslan in early September that led to the postponement of Putin’s planned visit to Turkey.
Taking a position on the Chechnya issue has been a tough task for all Turkish administrations as many people in this country trace their ancestry to Chechnya or other parts of what is now Russia's North Caucasus region. Many Turks, particularly in rural parts of Anatolia, sympathize with fellow Muslims in Chechnya, where civilians have suffered gravely during nearly a decade of war between Russian forces and rebels. It was easy for Ankara to deal with the issue at the initial stages of trouble in Chechnya when the overall picture resembled one of a people demanding wider autonomy from a central federal government. However, as years have passed the situation in Chechnya turned into a fully-fledged low-density warfare. The Moscow Theater and Beslan tragedies became impossible to condone by any government, indeed, such atrocities can only be condemned as terrorism in its wildest form.
Despite Turkey’s official condemnation of Chechen terrorism, however, the existence of sympathy for the Chechen people still remains strong -- as was demonstrated on Monday when about a dozen members of a pro-Chechen group laid a black wreath at the entrance of the Russian Embassy.
Turkey, Russia and all the other countries of the world need to develop a clear-cut definition of terrorism and must stand united against it in an awareness that unless a collective struggle is not waged, terrorism cannot be eradicated.
There was no word from the Russian leader on the banning of the PKK in his country, a demand Turkey has repeatedly made and of which has so far been unfulfilled by Moscow. This was indeed what Turks were expecting to hear -- but could not -- from Putin on Monday. Perhaps the “cooperation against terrorism” protocol will help the two countries understand what each other means by “terrorism” in the period ahead.
Overall, the visit of Putin to Turkey has opened a new chapter in bilateral relations between Moscow and Ankara. The visit, at least, has provided an exchange of opinions on a large set of issues, from Cyprus to Chechnya, and to Turkey’s European Union bid. It was described by international agencies as “symbolic,” but the fact remains the two presidents did, indeed, sign the “multi-dimensional partnership” protocol.
Moreover, all this occurred at a time when relations between Turkey and its most prominent Western ally, the United States, appeared to going awry.
Washington keeps on “noting unpleasant developments” here, while top Turkish officials stress growing anti-Americanism in Turkey where some shop keepers are placing “American’s cannot enter” placards on their doors. All this is happening when commercial and business ties with Russia are booming and when the political situation facilitates the signing of a “multi-dimensional enhanced partnership” protocol. We are happy, of course, with the advancement in Turkish-Russian ties, and we are of the opinion that neither of the relationships are alternative to one another, but in view of its high importance to our country has not the time come for a comprehensive overview of Turkish-American friendship, to diagnose the failures and come up with a substantive healing process?