Issue No. 613
Editorial
Previous issue
Site map
|
|
21 - 27 November 2002 Issue No. 613 Editorial |
Current issue Previous issue Site map | |
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | |||
|
Developing Arab-Turkish relations
The foreign policy orientations of the new Turkish government of Abdullah Gul, deputy chairman of the Islamist Justice and Development Party (JDP), are as yet unclear. Its tasks, though, are far from simple: it must show itself a democratic, albeit Islamic, government that can be a member of the European Union; it must be a friend to Arab countries and, at the same time, a good neighbour to Israel.
In the Arab world the government of Gul and the JDP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be judged by three criteria. The first concerns its relationship with Israel. Arab countries have never hidden their concern over the compromise of Arab strategic interests involved in the over zealous way Ankara has pursued Turkish-Israeli relations. The new government has already expressed its intention to maintain good ties with Israel. Arab governments are not expecting Ankara to constrain relations with Tel Aviv, though they expect Turkey to be sensitive to their rights, especially at a time when Israel is escalating its military aggressions. The Gul government is bound to harm Turkish- Arab relations if it seeks intensive military and intelligence alliances with Israel.
Ankara's position on Iraq will also determine future Arab-Turkish relations. The new government has made clear its support for a diplomatic solution to any Iraq-UN dispute. This is a good beginning, and we must hope Ankara continues along the same line. The third criteria, by which the foreign policy orientation of the JDP government will be judged, is the position it adopts on settling water disputes with Syria and Iraq.
Warmer relations between the Arab world and Turkey will in no way compromise Turkey's image as a potential EU member and should not impact on Ankara's rapport with Tel Aviv. Closer Arab-Turkish relations undoubtedly carry many mutual benefits, not least the possibility of exploiting the enormous potentials for economic and political co-operation between Turkey and its Arab neighbours.
|
| |||||||||||||||||||
