TURKIYE- Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkey’s foreign relations, particularly on Iraq issue. A summary of his column is as follows:
We should know that our foreign relations are at the edge of a dangerous precipice. Since the Iraq crisis began, so many countries have stood in opposition to us. We steadfastly pursued peace, but these efforts proved incapable of even placating Saddam Hussein, who is incensed with us.
If democracy is an art, we haven’t exactly failed the test, but we certainly need to do a makeover exam. We’ve demonstrated our dazzling skill of turning our firm ally the United States against us, thus spurning the strategic alliance of the world’s only superpower. In short, we chose to ignore the bill that will surely come due following the Iraq operation.
In the same short period of time, we also showed our talent at incurring the wrath of the European Union. More than 20 Arab countries and 50-plus Muslim countries and even the five Turkic republics regard us coldly. They had no praise for our peace efforts. None of them helped us out with the United Nations plan for Cyprus, which we charged had been prepared to get rid of the island’s Turks.
We should look ahead to see where such a foreign policy could bring Turkey. If our nation, whose relations with everybody and every side are out of order, lacks a say in the future arrangement of the Middle East, how will it be able to stop decisions that could work against us?
Those offended at my words shouldn’t waste their time getting angry at me, but instead try to cure our foreign policy from such grave errors. Our republic has no need for a new political crisis on top of the recent economic one.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION