Tweet
Milliyet, Turkey
Jan 26 2012
Davutoglu: Al-Asad Has Chosen to Become Milosevic
by Fikret Bila
[translated from Turkish]
We can say that Syria constituted the focal point of the discussions
that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held in Moscow with Russian
Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov.
It has been reflected that, in this meeting, Davutoglu conveyed the
view to Lavrov that the developments being experienced in the Arab
world are the [same as the] process of 'glasnost' [openness] and
'perestroika' [restructuring] that took place in the Soviet Union in
the 1990s, but that Syrian Head of State Bashar al-Asad is resisting
this process. Having heard this, I reminded Davutoglu, on the way back
to Ankara, that Al-Asad has announced a new constitution and election
process, and asked him whether or not this would be a new move; he
made the following comment:
"Not Gorbachev But Rather Milosevic"
"On the issue of elections and change, Al-Asad keeps giving a date and
then postponing it. Now he says that there will be elections in six
months. He is trying to gain time. He is trying to prevent 'glasnost'
and 'perestroika.' There is going to be an inevitable change. It is
essential to take one's place on the right side in this. If Al-Asad
were like [former Soviet President Mikhail] Gorbachev, he would be
successful, but he has chosen to be like [former Serbian President
Slobodan] Milosevic. It is now too late for him to be a Gorbachev for
change, and he has lost his credibility. But the Arab world is
carrying out its own 'perestroika.' The Middle East is today
experiencing a process of 'glasnost.' This is the natural course of
history. It is essential to understand those favouring change here,
and to support them."
Sarkozy Chasing After Islamophobic Votes
On the return trip with Davutoglu, we also spoke again regarding the
Armenian claims that France has passed in the Senate. Davutoglu,
saying that [French President Nicolas] Sarkozy is not only chasing
after Armenian votes, but also the extreme rightist, Islamophobic
votes of [Presidential candidate Marine] Le Pen, and made the
following assessment:
"For the President of a country with such a long-established state
tradition to act in accord with purely short-term calculations shows
that he is no visionary. Sarkozy is doing this in order to attract
extreme-rightist, Islamophobic voters, as well as Armenian voters.
This is disturbing from the standpoint of European politics. Europe
needs visionary leaders, and not petty calculations. Such petty
calculations are a great threat for Europe. Sarkozy is trying to
appeal to the constituency of the extreme right. This is a disturbing
situation."
Will it Go to the Constitutional Council?
To my question as to the likelihood of the law's going to the
Constitutional Council, Davutoglu gave the following reply:
"If the Constitutional Council annuls this law, we will continue as if
nothing had happened. We will take a stance in accord with the
decision of the Council. Our stance with regard to the political
actors will change, but our stance with regard to the French state
will not change."
To the question of "how would it impact our relations with the EU?",
Davutoglu responded as follows:
"During this period, various statements that would uphold the
principles of the EU should have come from EU leaders and
institutions. Unfortunately, they have not passed the test well. But
the Amnesty International organization is opposing this. This is
important. Indeed, this issue is going, a bit later, to become a
problem for Europe. Some people in Europe are going to emerge and take
this to a court. It will have a negative impact on the culture of
living together in Europe. It will, in a way, lead to the birth of a
confrontational atmosphere."
To the question "what did you think of the statement of the US State
Department regarding the decision taken by France?", Davutoglu
answered: "When the issue is Turkey, everyone is careful. They are
careful in one way or another."
In Our View, France Cannot Be Co-Chairman
Davutoglu also made the following comment with regard to France's
Co-Chairmanship of the Minsk Group:
"The topic came onto the agenda in the meetings with Russia. They
asked 'what is going to happen?' I told Lavrov what might happen, and
conveyed Turkey's stance. I also told Lavrov the following: France has
lost the character of being the Co-Chairman of the Minsk Group. As
Turkey, we are a member of the Minsk Group. From our standpoint, as a
member of this group, we do not assess France any longer as a
Co-Chairman that could carry out this mission in an impartial way. We
told this to Russia as well. Because they [the French], have gone
beyond being [merely] partial to become a partisan side."
Turkish-Russian Cooperation
Davutoglu asserted that his working, along with his Russian
counterpart, on a mental map that covers the entire region should be
perceived as a paradigm change in Turkish-Russian relations, and spoke
as follows:
"Ten years ago, for the Turkish and Russian Foreign Ministers to take
up the entire geography from the Balkans to the Black Sea and from the
Middle East to Central Asia would have been inconceivable. Today, we
said 'let us promote joint projects in the Balkans.' Similarly in
Central Asia. It eliminates a perception such as pure rivalry. At one
point, I raised the Eurasian Union. I asked 'what are you referring
to?' Our perspective is that on one side there is the EU, and on the
other side the Chinese economy. In the middle there is cooperation
between Russia and Turkey. We can use the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation for Turkish-Russian cooperation in the Black Sea, the
Caucasus, and the Caspian. In order for the Black Sea region to be
able to become a society of prosperity, Turkish-Russian cooperation is
important."
[translated from Turkish]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Jan 26 2012
Davutoglu: Al-Asad Has Chosen to Become Milosevic
by Fikret Bila
[translated from Turkish]
We can say that Syria constituted the focal point of the discussions
that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held in Moscow with Russian
Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov.
It has been reflected that, in this meeting, Davutoglu conveyed the
view to Lavrov that the developments being experienced in the Arab
world are the [same as the] process of 'glasnost' [openness] and
'perestroika' [restructuring] that took place in the Soviet Union in
the 1990s, but that Syrian Head of State Bashar al-Asad is resisting
this process. Having heard this, I reminded Davutoglu, on the way back
to Ankara, that Al-Asad has announced a new constitution and election
process, and asked him whether or not this would be a new move; he
made the following comment:
"Not Gorbachev But Rather Milosevic"
"On the issue of elections and change, Al-Asad keeps giving a date and
then postponing it. Now he says that there will be elections in six
months. He is trying to gain time. He is trying to prevent 'glasnost'
and 'perestroika.' There is going to be an inevitable change. It is
essential to take one's place on the right side in this. If Al-Asad
were like [former Soviet President Mikhail] Gorbachev, he would be
successful, but he has chosen to be like [former Serbian President
Slobodan] Milosevic. It is now too late for him to be a Gorbachev for
change, and he has lost his credibility. But the Arab world is
carrying out its own 'perestroika.' The Middle East is today
experiencing a process of 'glasnost.' This is the natural course of
history. It is essential to understand those favouring change here,
and to support them."
Sarkozy Chasing After Islamophobic Votes
On the return trip with Davutoglu, we also spoke again regarding the
Armenian claims that France has passed in the Senate. Davutoglu,
saying that [French President Nicolas] Sarkozy is not only chasing
after Armenian votes, but also the extreme rightist, Islamophobic
votes of [Presidential candidate Marine] Le Pen, and made the
following assessment:
"For the President of a country with such a long-established state
tradition to act in accord with purely short-term calculations shows
that he is no visionary. Sarkozy is doing this in order to attract
extreme-rightist, Islamophobic voters, as well as Armenian voters.
This is disturbing from the standpoint of European politics. Europe
needs visionary leaders, and not petty calculations. Such petty
calculations are a great threat for Europe. Sarkozy is trying to
appeal to the constituency of the extreme right. This is a disturbing
situation."
Will it Go to the Constitutional Council?
To my question as to the likelihood of the law's going to the
Constitutional Council, Davutoglu gave the following reply:
"If the Constitutional Council annuls this law, we will continue as if
nothing had happened. We will take a stance in accord with the
decision of the Council. Our stance with regard to the political
actors will change, but our stance with regard to the French state
will not change."
To the question of "how would it impact our relations with the EU?",
Davutoglu responded as follows:
"During this period, various statements that would uphold the
principles of the EU should have come from EU leaders and
institutions. Unfortunately, they have not passed the test well. But
the Amnesty International organization is opposing this. This is
important. Indeed, this issue is going, a bit later, to become a
problem for Europe. Some people in Europe are going to emerge and take
this to a court. It will have a negative impact on the culture of
living together in Europe. It will, in a way, lead to the birth of a
confrontational atmosphere."
To the question "what did you think of the statement of the US State
Department regarding the decision taken by France?", Davutoglu
answered: "When the issue is Turkey, everyone is careful. They are
careful in one way or another."
In Our View, France Cannot Be Co-Chairman
Davutoglu also made the following comment with regard to France's
Co-Chairmanship of the Minsk Group:
"The topic came onto the agenda in the meetings with Russia. They
asked 'what is going to happen?' I told Lavrov what might happen, and
conveyed Turkey's stance. I also told Lavrov the following: France has
lost the character of being the Co-Chairman of the Minsk Group. As
Turkey, we are a member of the Minsk Group. From our standpoint, as a
member of this group, we do not assess France any longer as a
Co-Chairman that could carry out this mission in an impartial way. We
told this to Russia as well. Because they [the French], have gone
beyond being [merely] partial to become a partisan side."
Turkish-Russian Cooperation
Davutoglu asserted that his working, along with his Russian
counterpart, on a mental map that covers the entire region should be
perceived as a paradigm change in Turkish-Russian relations, and spoke
as follows:
"Ten years ago, for the Turkish and Russian Foreign Ministers to take
up the entire geography from the Balkans to the Black Sea and from the
Middle East to Central Asia would have been inconceivable. Today, we
said 'let us promote joint projects in the Balkans.' Similarly in
Central Asia. It eliminates a perception such as pure rivalry. At one
point, I raised the Eurasian Union. I asked 'what are you referring
to?' Our perspective is that on one side there is the EU, and on the
other side the Chinese economy. In the middle there is cooperation
between Russia and Turkey. We can use the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation for Turkish-Russian cooperation in the Black Sea, the
Caucasus, and the Caspian. In order for the Black Sea region to be
able to become a society of prosperity, Turkish-Russian cooperation is
important."
[translated from Turkish]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress