MILLIYET- Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the recent political developments in Turkey concerning Foreign Minister Ismail Cem’s resignation and its possible repercussions on Turkish foreign policy. A summary of his column is as follows:
Foreign Minister Ismal Cem’s resignation from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and his cabinet post may be a gain for Turkish political life, but without doubt it is a loss for Turkish diplomacy. Throughout his five-year term at the helm of Turkish foreign policy, Cem has racked up some major achievements. The most important of these accomplishments was of course the close relations between Athens and Ankara forged by Cem and his Greek colleague George Papandreou. As the architect of our policy of integration with the EU, Cem has put on a great performance in his direct talks with leading European figures. And trailblazing a new perspective in Turkish foreign policy, Cem worked to establish strong ties with a host of countries in regions ranging from Asia to sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Surely, Ismail Cem was Turkey’s most prominent foreign minister in the recent decades. Unfortunately the timing of the political turmoil and the subsequent resignations coincided with a critical period in which vital decisions and strategic measures needed to be taken in foreign policy. Cem’s resignation was the last straw. Now Turkey’s future positions on such vital questions as Cyprus, a possible military attack on Iraq and relations with the EU are not only question marks, but also major sources of unease in the foreign quarters. The bulk of this distress is centered on the idea that if the existing government headed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit continues to serve in power, the expected ‘positive steps’ on the EU and Cyprus issues lie in grave doubt.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION