Most leaders probably wished that the summit would be chaired by US President-elect Barack Obama rather than the lame-duck president, George W. Bush. Washington is also excited because of the change that comes with a new administration. People are positioning themselves for the thousands of jobs that will be handed out by Team Obama.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was one of the 20 leaders who attended the G-20 Summit as the Turkish economy now ranks 17th largest according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates. Let me underline that it was a healthy and inclusive start to restructuring the new global economic order. The summit also lent itself to the contemplation of the future relationship between Turkey and the US. We Turks are optimistic that Turkey can work cooperatively with the new administration.
That said, what should be a hopeful and refreshing start in bilateral relationship has in the coming months the potential to be marred by the infamous Armenian issue. One hears about the potential of a new democratic constellation to push forward the Armenian issue in response to the Armenian lobby's support for the Democrats. While we in Ankara are eager to engage with our American partners on a range of issues in the region, it would be a pity to see the relationship again made hostage to the Armenian issue. Indeed, there is a danger looming over the precarious relationship between Turkey and the United States and we better recognize it early on.
To make things abundantly clear and direct, I would like to reiterate that Turkey does not wish the Armenian issue to get in our way when there are such daunting tasks ahead of us in the region. Ankara is keen to work with the new administration on Iran, Iraq and Syria as well as the Caucasus. When it comes to the Caucasus, we are particularly optimistic as we are very close to a deal with our Armenian friends on establishing diplomatic relations and then hopefully opening the land border.
The last thing this tripartite negotiation process, which is closely linked to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, needs is a House resolution on the Armenian issue. It would simply ruin the ongoing rapprochement with Armenia, bring about bitter resentment on both sides and make a peaceful resolution to Nagorno-Karabakh in the near term impossible. The Democratic House leadership must recognize the danger and act responsibly on this issue. We are going through precarious times and stabilizing the Caucasus is now within reach and should therefore not be jeopardized by even trying to push the Armenian issue.
In this sense, the introduction of H.R. 106 or the usage of the "G" word in an Obama statement on April 24, 2009 would immediately reflect on the Turkish-American relationship. Responsible Democrats simply must not let this issue take our partnership hostage. The alternative is bleak. As I remarked during a recent SETA-Brookings conference in Washington, such a development would pretty much mean an end to Turkish-American partnership. There is no tolerance left on this issue in Turkey. Worse, this would come at a time when Turkey is proactively seeking normalization with Armenia and would thus be viewed as an act with ill intent. Our bilateral relationship has been tested many times in the past, but one cannot overemphasize the futility of being bogged down on the Armenian issue now.
Benzer Haberler 
