``For a moment, I thought to use a headline as `U.S.-AKP tango``, but then, I decided that this would be wrong,`` writes columnist Yasemin Congar in her editorial published in today`s edition of Milliyet daily.
Congar also writes, ``tango is a dance which is always tense, but at the same time, it displays an extraordinary unity of feelings, harmony and most importantly passion. Therefore, it is certain that AKP (ruling Justice & Development Party) government and Bush administration do not and cannot tango.``
``But, there is one more certainty after the meeting held at the White House on June 8th (the meeting that took place between U.S. President George Bush and Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan). Political leaderships in Ankara and Washington mutually intend to `continue to dance` although they step on each other`s feet more and more in recent years,`` indicates Congar.
Congar went on writing, ``this intention shows that Bush administration does not think of any other partner than AKP government. Washington cannot see any political alternative in Turkey which can conform to itself. Moreover, it does not want to see its partner with epaulet, with whom it danced so much in the past but whose participation in the hall pleases itself, in the middle of the dance floor. What it is doing is to remind AKP that it should conform its steps to the rhythm of the music that started to play after September 11th.``
``On the other hand, the leading cadre of AKP seems to perceive the importance of partnership with the United States for bilateral, regional and transatlantic regards. Moreover, it attaches importance to the support of the White House for internal balances, because it fears that its own political future can be darkened, in case its dance with the Bush administration is over`` writes Congar.
Congar concludes, ``and, this assessment is being made in an atmosphere in which opposition to Iraq War continues, many parts of the society are provoked against `anti-Americanism`, and `seeming close to the United States` has a certain political cost for the AKP.``