Even a brief look at the developments of the past month warrants making such an assertive argument. Yet, interestingly, whenever I meet with a Western diplomat, politician or scholar, I observe that they adopt a sarcastic don't-overestimate-your-role attitude concerning Turkey's rise.This cocky attitude may poison the atmosphere not only of private conversations, but also of meetings with a high number of participants. Unfortunately, the İstanbul Forum, organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) in cooperation with the Center for Strategic Communication (Stratim), chaired by my close friend Suat Kınıklıoğlu, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, recently became the venue for similar arguments. I know that an inferiority complex holding that Turkey will not be able to do anything on its own is common among some groups in Turkey, particularly neo-nationalist circles -- for whatever reason. But it turned out that I was ignorant of attempts by Western diplomats, politicians and scholars -- who are supposed to be more informed about what Turkey is doing at the level of global competition -- to ignore Turkey's successful performance in this regard and to play it down among themselves.
However, the new Turkish foreign policy in the making and the New Turkey that this has created, along with the infrastructure for this in domestic politics, brings great hopes not only for societies neighboring Turks in this region, but also for the country itself. Just think for a moment about what has happened during the last 10 days. On Oct. 10 we signed two historic protocols that aim to normalize our relations with Armenia. We can safely argue that these protocols, which serve to pull the rug from underneath the Armenian diaspora's feet, will bring more relief to Turkey's relations with the West than a foreigner may expect.
Do not be fooled by radical nationalist discourse from within. This includes the radical nationalists on the Armenian side; they are destined to be quickly marginalized. Similarly, the fact that Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan came to Bursa to watch a soccer match between the Turkish and Armenian national teams and was hosted in an amiable and congenial atmosphere in this city destroyed psychological walls between the two countries. We can now expect Turkey and Armenia to take concrete steps toward becoming two good neighbors, depending on the possible progress made toward the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. This progress can no longer be reversed, and doing so will not be a wise move.
If our country and Syria, which were two countries harboring mutual feelings of hostility and which came to the brink of war just 10 years ago, have evolved to practically abolish borders by eliminating visa requirements in travels between the two countries, this means this New Turkey is looking at the region from a different angle, and vice versa. The gathering of ministers from the two countries in what can be termed a joint cabinet meeting might have been regarded as an exaggerated dream 10 years ago, but today it is the naked truth.
Also, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went to Baghdad -- a city almost never visited by world leaders, except by some who would prefer to do so in complete secrecy. He was accompanied by a large and high-profile delegation of ministers (roughly half of the Turkish Cabinet), many businessmen and journalists. This is no overstated story. That during this visit a joint cabinet meeting was held, as was done in Syria, and 48 considerably important agreements were signed is, too, no exaggerated story fabricated out of nowhere, but the plain truth. Furthermore, Turkey is preparing to have similar meetings with Russia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and other neighbors, which is again no fancy, but the truth.
Do you think it is a coincidence that only Turkey has shown that Israel -- which regards all sorts of human rights violations as its legitimate right after being spoiled by the US and being endowed with immunity by the US, though it poses a threat and an inconvenience to the region -- is not untouchable and that it should be held accountable for the violence it commits? Or is this just exaggeration?
To those wishing to play down the vital role Turkey plays in talks between Syria and Israel, I would like remind you of the following bitter truth: It is true that Israel does not want Turkey's mediation and that it is seeking to launch direct talks with Syria. Of course, Turkey has no objection to this. But Syria does. Since Israel cannot make peace without Syria, it has to lend an ear to Damascus, which cites Turkey's mediation as a prerequisite for talks. This is my piece of advice to those who say Turkey's role in talks between Syria and Israel is being overstated: Just listen to what Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has to say.
Turkey has its own course of action in the nuclear tension between Iran and the West, and it has played a constructive role not only in the crisis between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but also in recent tension between Syria and Iraq. Furthermore, in the past it dissuaded Sunni groups from boycotting elections and worked to reinstitute stability in Lebanon by meeting with all groups in the country. Turkey also made constructive moves in containing the war between Georgia and Russia over Ossetia through shuttle diplomacy. All this is not part of a fancy story, but fact.
While implementing these moves in the Middle East and the Caucasus, with which Turkey has historical, social, political and cultural ties, Turkey also managed to put its relations with the US and the European Union on the right track. Remember that US President Barack Obama and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou both felt they should make their first bilateral foreign visits to Turkey after taking office.
To this list should be added the fact that a progress report issued every year by the European Commission has never been as positive as it is this year. As the secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and a member of the UN Security Council and having ever-increasing weight in other international organizations, Turkey is obviously gaining importance both in the East and in the West. Those who claim that Turkey's role is being overstated may be exaggerating their habit of regarding themselves as the center and rulers of the world.
Turkey is on the right track and making good progress. We have good reason to expect that this progress will accelerate in the wake of new positive developments that will be ushered in by the return of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants from the Kandil Mountains, turning themselves over to security officers. Do not take this as another overstatement.
