Islamic News

The Western media: We are losing to Turkey –

«We lose Turkey,” – under this headline is one of the Western newspapers – the Italian “Il Foglio”. Turkey gained the Islamic world, could write a publication in the East.

«The Turkish government is making political maneuvers, which are suspicious of Washington, Tel Aviv and Brussels. The last alarm bell rang out a month ago, when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is banned by the Israeli aircraft to participate in military exercises on the territory of Turkey. A few days after that Ankara signed a military alliance with Syria – the right hand of Iran in the Middle East. These two decisions were questioned by the Western allies of Turkey. Is Turkey moving away from Europe? What triggered this process? Can we still trust the pro-Islamist government of Erdogan? Judge Institute for Near East Policy in Washington Soner Kagapti believes that “a mountain has moved, for the first time in 60 years the Turkish government is moving away from the Alliance, and turns toward the east” – wrote “Il Foglio”.

For many years the Turkish government had more problems at home than abroad. Justice and Development Party won the last election with only 47 percent of the vote. She was threatened with dissolution of the “subversive policy against the state.” Opposition members say that Erdogan wants to turn the modern secular Turkey, founded by Ataturk, the Islamic state. Against Prime Minister made mogul Aidin Dogan, who controls three television stations and four daily newspapers. The trial ended in 2008, withdrew from the Party of all charges, and the government’s approval rating began to rise. Dogan The company is under investigation in connection with alleged tax fraud. If she fails in this case, it would have to pay a fine of three billion dollars.

At the same time in Turkey, public opinion, as a rule, strongly disagree on domestic policy, but when it comes to international affairs, the population is more united, the newspaper notes. According to the article’s author, this is again not the best news for Israel and the countries – participants of the North Atlantic Treaty. Even the army, the most secular and far removed from Islamic doctrine of the Justice and Development Institute, could not remain aloof from the new political course. Director of Marshall Fund in Ankara Ozgur Unluizarchikli believes that “any government should take into account public opinion. The Turkish government has sufficient resources to freely pursue their own foreign policy. ”

Chief strategist in the government of Erdogan called Ahmet Davutoglu. Several months ago, he headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Davutoglu belongs to a new generation of pro-Islamic conservatives, who last ten years in power. He was born in Konya, in central Turkey, and gained fame working in the Bilkent University in Istanbul. His doctrine is reflected in the book “strategic depth” with which the Turkish government negotiates every step. The basic principle of the doctrine is very simple: to increase its influence in the international arena, Turkey should have friends among their neighbors. “During the Cold War, we were on the periphery of the world and had to use force to defend its borders – said” Il Foglio “Rashat Harim, a university colleague Davutoglu. – Today we are again in the center of political events, we are aware of their role and we have the opportunity to use other tools. Israel has always been our ally, but that does not mean that we can not criticize his actions, if we think they are wrong. We – the only country in Europe that is able to negotiate with everyone, including Hamas. West can not without us. ”

Many people believe that Ankara will simply become more pragmatic, while others say that she turned her back to the West. “At one time the opinion prevailed that our country strong muscles and an empty stomach – Davutoglu wrote in his book. – Today, we know that better protected the countries that are able to use its “soft power”. The Organization for Strategic Studies in Ankara, which is the factory of liberal thought, say that there was not so much political upheaval, but economic. Board Justice and Development Party has spawned a new generation of entrepreneurs from the east. They are faithful to the ruling party, oppose the Kemalist elite, and the obligation for the most part of its own success doctrine Davutoglu. In this confrontation between elite religion is a very relative value.

«If Turkey’s relations with its neighbors will be stable, then our country will be easier to do business – explains the analyst of a company, Mehmet Ozkan. – In recent years, relations with the West have not changed, and with neighboring countries have improved significantly. Exports to the Middle East has reached record highs, we are cooperating with African countries and we can buy oil in Russia and in Iran. Turkish company Tav has built a new terminal for the airport in Cairo, and soon plans to start new construction in Libya, Tunisia and Qatar. Other companies compete with European corporations for the right to carry out the reconstruction of roads and schools in Iraq and in Kurdistan. TVs and refrigerators «Made in Turkey» flooded the markets of Beirut and Tbilisi. These results, said Ozkan, could not be achieved without changing policy. Being in the position of prime minister, Erdogan has signed free trade agreements with Egypt, Israel, Morocco and Tunisia. Ministers of Turkey fly from Damascus to Baghdad, to ensure that agreements in various sectors of the economy, ranging from tourism and finishing industry. Turkey has good relations with the Gulf countries. “This is a natural process”, – explains the expert. Why did it stop?

In Europe, many realize that Turkey has enough reasons to conduct such a policy. The Secretary of the CDU Germany published a paper of six points, where he explains the reasons “against” Turkey’s accession to the EU. At the same time, France is headed by Nicolas Sarkozy and the countries of Eastern Europe, where many believe that no Muslim country should not become an EU member. Demonstrators on the streets of Warsaw, declared that Turkey is headed by Erdogan, will become a Trojan horse that will bring Islam to Europe. Such statements increases the negative attitude of the Turkish population in Western countries. According to a recent survey, only one citizen out of three endorsed EU membership. For comparison, last year the ratio was eight to ten. “The doctrine of” strategic depth “needed more, and in order to reduce the damage if the plan entry into the EU will fail, – explained the” Il Foglio “expert of the Institute for International Political Studies Carlo frappe. – In Ankara few illusions: if the EU goes to a referendum, Turkey has no chance. ”

In terms of energy, Europe is also a less important partner. Ankara does not have its own natural resources, but it is a major transit point in the way of oil transit from Asia to Europe. In 2007, the Turkish government had purchased a large quantity of gas in Iran, which infuriated American diplomats. European diplomats have been very unhappy when Erdogan signed a contract with Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on the construction of gas pipeline South Stream, the article quotes Inosmi.ru.