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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 8 2011
Turkey seeks to institutionalize relations with Turkic republics
09 October 2011, Sunday / CEREN KUMOVA / AYDIN ALBAYRAK, ANKARA
As the 20th anniversary of independence arrives for the Turkic
republics, Turkey is reviewing its connections with the countries it
deems `brothers,' looking for a more institutionalized touch that
speaks more to the mind than to the heart.
Although these countries, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, have traditionally held priority of place
amongst Turkey's bilateral ties with other countries, the arrival of
the 20th anniversary of their independence has prompted Turkey to
review its long-standing policy toward them. What has been
accomplished between the countries, popularly claimed to be `different
states of the same nation,' in these 20 years is a clear indication
that it might be high time for Turkey to build on the strong ties, but
with solid accomplishment that speaks for the pledges.
Turkey has been reviewing its policy in a way that looks to balance
ties with regard to past issues to give birth to solutions, Turkish
officials told Sunday's Zaman on the sidelines of an international
meeting Turkey hosted in celebration of the anniversaries. These
statements confirm the obvious fact that in spite of the great
importance Turkey attaches to its Turkic brothers, relations with
these countries have not always evolved into solid cooperation; to the
contrary, the ties have loosened due to Turkey's naïve and mistaken
conviction that they can be maintained without much effort because of
the historic and ethnic ties. Now Turkey seems to be aligning its
foreign policy in a way that would close the gap and revive old
partnerships.
Twenty years ago when the Turkic states acquired their independence
after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkish political leaders were
quite enthusiastic about the prospects this new state of affairs
offered Turkey: The first initiatives towards the region were mainly
based on emotions, in the process of which, Turkey emerged as a
protective elder brother, which caused drawbacks over the long-run
when the role was too much to deliver. Twenty years later, it is all
the more clear for Turkey that it may not actually be the right way to
build lasting relations, as for some time now the motivation behind
relations between the `brotherly' countries has progressively evolved
into a system where the interests of the parties involved are more
important than emotions.
As a result, cooperation between the Turkic countries has increasingly
gotten better, although some problems still persist between these
countries themselves, as a result of which the Nakhchivan Agreement
was signed between Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan,
while the two others, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, remained outside,
on Oct. 3, 2009. The agreement paved the way for the foundation of the
Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (CCTS), which became
operational at a summit in 2010 in İstanbul, laying the groundwork to
hopefully put the council on a more solid track.
The next step in the council meetings is scheduled for Astana, where
ministers of economy come together on Oct. 13, followed by another
meeting of foreign ministers on Oct 21. Also that month the heads of
the Turkic states will meet at the first get-together of the CCTS,
proving that the long-desired institutionalization may now be under
way for the Turkic republics and Turkey.
Emotions cause for past disappointments
Since the countries enjoyed a close bond and a common world vision
without much effort from either side, heartfelt expectations sometimes
melted into disappointment -- a feeling Turkey is trying to eradicate
by putting affairs on solid ground to foster political, economic,
cultural and social ties between the states.
The international meeting held in Turkey earlier this week on the
occasion of the 20th anniversary of the independence of the Turkic
republics is a clear indication that the countries are eager to come
together on the diplomatic track and alternative avenues, define
problems and look for solutions to existing issues. `Turkey's dream in
the '90s of forming an economic union with the newly emerged Turkic
countries did not come true,' Halil Akıncı, secretary-general of the
CCTS and a former ambassador, noted as he co-chaired a session during
the Ankara meetings of Oct. 5 and 6. Akıncı added that the formation
of institutional bodies between the states makes it easier to track
progress and ensures that problems do not only get `whined about' but
are put on an agenda to be solved. `Past issues stemmed from
over-emotional reactions between the Turkic republics; it is high time
we emerge from that,' Akıncı stated at an evaluation session on
Thursday.
The Turkic Council, Akıncı noted, would initially deal with economic
progress but continue with a second phase concerning the cultural and
educational fields. To this end, Akıncı said a common history book
would be published, presenting the shared history of the republics and
that a Turkic Academy would be founded to study the culture of the
Turkic republics. `The 20 years of relations between Turkic states
have been fruitful,' commented Bülent Aras, chairman of Center for
Strategic Research (SAM), a research body founded under the umbrella
of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, in a quick interview with Sunday's
Zaman on the margin of the meeting. `There is a great tendency for
cooperation, and steps we cannot downplay have been taken,' Aras noted
but admitted that the current level of developments between the states
was not enough. `We have developed a fresh perspective in our
relations; more cooperation is sure to come in the future,' Aras
added, hinting that Turkey is indeed changing its attitude toward the
Turkic republics.
Obstacles
The bonds between the six states are also affected by a complex
interwoven web of relations with each other, as well as with other
parties, which have a claim on the dynamics of the region. The last
instance of a dispute between Turkey and its major Turkic ally,
Azerbaijan, erupted in 2009 when Turkey tried to normalize relations
with Armenia through outlining a roadmap that would make the
dysfunctional border between the neighbors operational again. However,
Azerbaijan lashed out at the possibility of normalization before a
solution is found to the Armenian occupation of a number of Azeri
enclaves around Nagorno-Karabakh, which is why Turkey closed its
border with Armenia in 1993 in the first place.
In the case of waiving visa requirements between Azerbaijan and
Turkey, it was Iran that intervened and blocked the prospect, saying
that it would ask to benefit from the same privilege if Turkey was
given the green light.
An additional debate that usually comes up on the economic sidelines
between the nations concerns energy prices, since Turkey is the buyer
and transporter of large amounts of Azeri natural gas.
Touching on difficulties facing Turkic states in their quest for
better cooperation, Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, a professor of
international relations at Gazi University in Ankara, told Sunday's
Zaman in an interview that under the surface, there was much to be
considered for relations to evolve to the desired level. Hailing the
establishment of the CCTS, founded with the Nakhchivan Agreement,
which is `the best move Turkey has ever made in Central Asia,' Erol
stated most plans to increase cooperation have remained at their
initial stages due to a large number of obstacles.
Lamenting difficulties the Turkic republics face in their diplomatic
connections, Erol added that Turkey could only improve relations
through deeply rooted diplomatic tracks, which necessitate more
institutionalization from all ends. Although the academic stressed
that the states wanted more institutionalization, he noted the current
level of ties remained at the initial phase of intentions and should
be backed by solid plans to move on to the next phase.
His words were confirmed by Dr. Aydar Amrebaev, deputy director of the
Kazakhstan Institute for World Economy and Politics (IWEP), at the
Thursday session of the international meeting, as he spoke of the
problems within the Turkic states. `There are no representatives from
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. As the Turkic world, we need to solve the
problems of the Caspian region,' Amrebaev stated. Not only Amrebaev
but also Associate Professor Bulat Sultanov, director of the
Kazakhstan Institute of Strategic Research, underlined that relations
should be handled on an equal basis, implying that Kazakhstan has no
need of aid from Turkey but needs cooperation in many fields,
including defense and security.
From: Baghdasarian
Oct 8 2011
Turkey seeks to institutionalize relations with Turkic republics
09 October 2011, Sunday / CEREN KUMOVA / AYDIN ALBAYRAK, ANKARA
As the 20th anniversary of independence arrives for the Turkic
republics, Turkey is reviewing its connections with the countries it
deems `brothers,' looking for a more institutionalized touch that
speaks more to the mind than to the heart.
Although these countries, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, have traditionally held priority of place
amongst Turkey's bilateral ties with other countries, the arrival of
the 20th anniversary of their independence has prompted Turkey to
review its long-standing policy toward them. What has been
accomplished between the countries, popularly claimed to be `different
states of the same nation,' in these 20 years is a clear indication
that it might be high time for Turkey to build on the strong ties, but
with solid accomplishment that speaks for the pledges.
Turkey has been reviewing its policy in a way that looks to balance
ties with regard to past issues to give birth to solutions, Turkish
officials told Sunday's Zaman on the sidelines of an international
meeting Turkey hosted in celebration of the anniversaries. These
statements confirm the obvious fact that in spite of the great
importance Turkey attaches to its Turkic brothers, relations with
these countries have not always evolved into solid cooperation; to the
contrary, the ties have loosened due to Turkey's naïve and mistaken
conviction that they can be maintained without much effort because of
the historic and ethnic ties. Now Turkey seems to be aligning its
foreign policy in a way that would close the gap and revive old
partnerships.
Twenty years ago when the Turkic states acquired their independence
after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkish political leaders were
quite enthusiastic about the prospects this new state of affairs
offered Turkey: The first initiatives towards the region were mainly
based on emotions, in the process of which, Turkey emerged as a
protective elder brother, which caused drawbacks over the long-run
when the role was too much to deliver. Twenty years later, it is all
the more clear for Turkey that it may not actually be the right way to
build lasting relations, as for some time now the motivation behind
relations between the `brotherly' countries has progressively evolved
into a system where the interests of the parties involved are more
important than emotions.
As a result, cooperation between the Turkic countries has increasingly
gotten better, although some problems still persist between these
countries themselves, as a result of which the Nakhchivan Agreement
was signed between Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan,
while the two others, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, remained outside,
on Oct. 3, 2009. The agreement paved the way for the foundation of the
Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (CCTS), which became
operational at a summit in 2010 in İstanbul, laying the groundwork to
hopefully put the council on a more solid track.
The next step in the council meetings is scheduled for Astana, where
ministers of economy come together on Oct. 13, followed by another
meeting of foreign ministers on Oct 21. Also that month the heads of
the Turkic states will meet at the first get-together of the CCTS,
proving that the long-desired institutionalization may now be under
way for the Turkic republics and Turkey.
Emotions cause for past disappointments
Since the countries enjoyed a close bond and a common world vision
without much effort from either side, heartfelt expectations sometimes
melted into disappointment -- a feeling Turkey is trying to eradicate
by putting affairs on solid ground to foster political, economic,
cultural and social ties between the states.
The international meeting held in Turkey earlier this week on the
occasion of the 20th anniversary of the independence of the Turkic
republics is a clear indication that the countries are eager to come
together on the diplomatic track and alternative avenues, define
problems and look for solutions to existing issues. `Turkey's dream in
the '90s of forming an economic union with the newly emerged Turkic
countries did not come true,' Halil Akıncı, secretary-general of the
CCTS and a former ambassador, noted as he co-chaired a session during
the Ankara meetings of Oct. 5 and 6. Akıncı added that the formation
of institutional bodies between the states makes it easier to track
progress and ensures that problems do not only get `whined about' but
are put on an agenda to be solved. `Past issues stemmed from
over-emotional reactions between the Turkic republics; it is high time
we emerge from that,' Akıncı stated at an evaluation session on
Thursday.
The Turkic Council, Akıncı noted, would initially deal with economic
progress but continue with a second phase concerning the cultural and
educational fields. To this end, Akıncı said a common history book
would be published, presenting the shared history of the republics and
that a Turkic Academy would be founded to study the culture of the
Turkic republics. `The 20 years of relations between Turkic states
have been fruitful,' commented Bülent Aras, chairman of Center for
Strategic Research (SAM), a research body founded under the umbrella
of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, in a quick interview with Sunday's
Zaman on the margin of the meeting. `There is a great tendency for
cooperation, and steps we cannot downplay have been taken,' Aras noted
but admitted that the current level of developments between the states
was not enough. `We have developed a fresh perspective in our
relations; more cooperation is sure to come in the future,' Aras
added, hinting that Turkey is indeed changing its attitude toward the
Turkic republics.
Obstacles
The bonds between the six states are also affected by a complex
interwoven web of relations with each other, as well as with other
parties, which have a claim on the dynamics of the region. The last
instance of a dispute between Turkey and its major Turkic ally,
Azerbaijan, erupted in 2009 when Turkey tried to normalize relations
with Armenia through outlining a roadmap that would make the
dysfunctional border between the neighbors operational again. However,
Azerbaijan lashed out at the possibility of normalization before a
solution is found to the Armenian occupation of a number of Azeri
enclaves around Nagorno-Karabakh, which is why Turkey closed its
border with Armenia in 1993 in the first place.
In the case of waiving visa requirements between Azerbaijan and
Turkey, it was Iran that intervened and blocked the prospect, saying
that it would ask to benefit from the same privilege if Turkey was
given the green light.
An additional debate that usually comes up on the economic sidelines
between the nations concerns energy prices, since Turkey is the buyer
and transporter of large amounts of Azeri natural gas.
Touching on difficulties facing Turkic states in their quest for
better cooperation, Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, a professor of
international relations at Gazi University in Ankara, told Sunday's
Zaman in an interview that under the surface, there was much to be
considered for relations to evolve to the desired level. Hailing the
establishment of the CCTS, founded with the Nakhchivan Agreement,
which is `the best move Turkey has ever made in Central Asia,' Erol
stated most plans to increase cooperation have remained at their
initial stages due to a large number of obstacles.
Lamenting difficulties the Turkic republics face in their diplomatic
connections, Erol added that Turkey could only improve relations
through deeply rooted diplomatic tracks, which necessitate more
institutionalization from all ends. Although the academic stressed
that the states wanted more institutionalization, he noted the current
level of ties remained at the initial phase of intentions and should
be backed by solid plans to move on to the next phase.
His words were confirmed by Dr. Aydar Amrebaev, deputy director of the
Kazakhstan Institute for World Economy and Politics (IWEP), at the
Thursday session of the international meeting, as he spoke of the
problems within the Turkic states. `There are no representatives from
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. As the Turkic world, we need to solve the
problems of the Caspian region,' Amrebaev stated. Not only Amrebaev
but also Associate Professor Bulat Sultanov, director of the
Kazakhstan Institute of Strategic Research, underlined that relations
should be handled on an equal basis, implying that Kazakhstan has no
need of aid from Turkey but needs cooperation in many fields,
including defense and security.
From: Baghdasarian