Led by American-Turkish Council Chairman, Ambassador Richard Armitage, a delegation of 22 ATC Board Members and Golden Horn corporate members visited Ankara 22-25 June for meetings with Turkey’s leadership. They were days of candid discussion about issues that have given rise to tensions in relations, but conducted throughout in a spirit of friendship and with the customary, rich Turkish hospitality.
Prior to the visit, some in Turkey and the US worried whether now was a good time for these face-to-face meetings. It was the perfect time.
At every meeting, Chairman Armitage set a tone of sensitivity and sympathy for the heavy loss of Turkish military and civilian lives in two recent PKK attacks and the botched Israeli assault on the Gaza flotilla. He spoke candidly of the “sour” attitude in Washington - particularly on Capitol Hill - toward Turkey with respect to Turkey-Israel relations and Turkey’s “no” vote in the UN Security Council on the Iran sanctions. He counseled fewer words and lowered decibels while authorities in Ankara, Washington and Tel Aviv sort through measures that can begin to restructure a balance in relations and, where necessary, repair them.
From our Turkish hosts, we heard nothing but reaffirmation of their friendship and reassurance that they too attach the highest importance to a strong Turkey - US relationship. They expressed confidence in the resiliency and durability of the bilateral relations, but also worry for the long-term harm that would come from a congressional miscalculation that now is the time to move an Armenian resolution.
As would be expected, two third-country issues and questions about Turkey’s foreign policy orientation featured prominently in several discussions.
Iran: Our Turkish interlocutors affirmed that there is no difference in objectives; Turkey fully opposes a nuclear-armed Iran. But there are differences in the way they approach the task of dissuading Iran. As its neighbor, Turkey wants to keep the diplomatic track alive, and that alone explains its “no” vote in the UNSC. Sanctions have been pursued for years without success. They will not succeed now. But the Tehran agreement represents a breakthrough that deserves more time to prove its worth. In the meantime, America may be assured that Turkey will abide by the UN sanctions.
Israel: Several Turks allowed that some of the activists aboard the “Mavi Marmara” may well have been interested in provocation, but that cannot excuse Israel for the heavy loss of Turkish lives. Israel itself should conclude that it was a bungled operation, for no nation could call an action that ends up harming its own interests and abetting those of its enemy, a success. Israel must apologize for the loss of Turkish lives and submit to an independent investigation of the operation. In the absence of satisfaction of these two demands, relations cannot return to normal, but there may be different ways to “skin the cat.” In the meantime, however, there is recognition of the value of re-establishing and maintaining channels that can begin to repair the serious split.
East versus West: No Turk, in our discussions, agreed with the often-voiced western media proposition that Turkey is drifting eastward in its foreign policy orientation or its social mores. They all affirmed that Turkey remains secular in character and is firmly anchored in the West, in NATO and in its commitment to EU membership. No state could withstand the rebuffs that have come Turkey’s way over more than two decades were it not rock-solid in its Western commitment. To seek good relations with all its neighbors, to expand its trade relations and investment appeal into the Middle East, Africa and Asia is simply good commercial sense. Perhaps some of the language that has been used to explain this more ambitious foreign policy has been ill-considered or played for its popular appeal but that should not be understood to reflect a basic policy re-orientation.
In meetings with the Turkish General Staff and the Ministry of National Defense, Ambassador Armitage and the delegation were reassured about the continued strength of the military-to-military relationship, the competitiveness of American weapons systems and the improving quality of the bilateral defense cooperation.
The delegation received quality briefings on the recovery of Turkey’s economy, and progress on the economic framework agreement and formation of the bilateral business council. We exchanged words of satisfaction for our successful cooperation earlier in June at the Regional Energy Efficiency Conference in Istanbul and for the expected progress on bilateral commercial issues that would follow from the just-concluded Economic Partnership Commission meeting and the up-coming Trade and Investment Framework Agreement meeting.
For the first time in at least six years, the delegation was received by a leader of the Opposition. The new leader of the Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) affirmed to the delegation, in cautious tones, his commitment to a strong U.S. – Turkey relationship. He said he would need to have his party do some research before he would be prepared to comment on the reasons for America’s low standing in Turkish popular opinion.
At most of our meetings, and in the Chairman’s interviews with the Turkish media, we drew attention to the re-scheduled Annual Conference on U.S. – Turkey Relations and the importance that both Ankara and Washington should attach to its success.
During the two days, meetings were held with: Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for the Economy, Ali Babacan; Minister of National Defense, Vecdi Gonul; State Minister for Foreign Trade, Zafer Caglayan; Energy Minister, Taner Yildiz; Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Aslan Guner; Chairman of Parliament’s Turkish – American Friendship Committee, Suat Kiniklioglu and ten fellow Parliamentarians; Undersecretary of National Defense, Murad Bayar; Deputy Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Selim Yenel; U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey; Chairman of TOBB, Rifat Hisarciklioglu; and Chairman of the Republican Peoples’ Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
We thank all who participated in this successful visit and especially our trip sponsors: BAE Systems, Boeing, General Electric, INVAR, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Sikorsky, Kuanta and NTF.
