BY CUNEYT ULSEVER
HURRIYET- Gunduz Aktan the head of Strategic Research Center for Eurasia, yesterday gave an interview with Aksam columnist Nuray Basaran. I’d like to share with you some of his important views.
About the wave of anti-Americanism in Turkey, after listing US President George W. Bush’s policies deserving this enmity, Aktan said that still all these didn’t explain the Turkish public’s attitude. ‘There are reasons for this, but anti-Americanism seems to be beyond them,’ he added. Aktan said that the religious grassroots of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well as nationalists have started to have feelings of intense doubt, fear and hatred. That is, according to Aktan, the views of diverse groups have started to coalesce on this issue. Religious people are in particular anxious about US policies in Iraq and have respect for the rebellion in Baghdad and Falluja, but close their eyes to what’s happening in the Shiite region. Religious views weigh large here.
About Turkey’s policy in Iraq, Aktan said that Ankara stands for the country’s territorial integrity. ‘If the US adopts a policy to promote democracy and economic development in the greater Middle East, then it should be based on the territorial integrity of the countries involved,’ added Aktan. Asked about alternate policies focusing on countries besides the US, Aktan stressed that such policies are both misguided and unnecessary. As to what the US should do, Aktan said that the Washington should work to respect Turkish rights and interests more than it has and that there is a serious problem. ‘The US has to give up its grudge about the 2003 motion [denying US troops the use of Turkey as a base for a northern offensive into Iraq],’ said Aktan.
According to Aktan, the government isn’t doing anything to bring the anti-American masses around to reason. On the contrary, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan adopted an anti-American stance, one which is diplomatically unacceptable. Aktan wondered if that the prime minister was reading such statements from a prepared text and who would write such things. Aktan charged that the prime minister is failing to heed the counsel of Foreign Ministry officials and advisors.