Javier Solana: History should be analyzed by historians

Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana gave one of his rare interviews to Today's Zaman hours before the crucial NATO summit kicked off and days before new US President Barack Obama's historic visit to Turkey. A former Spanish foreign minister and former NATO secretary-general, Solana has been one of the pivotal leaders of the EU known for his strong support for Turkey's EU bid.

A political figure who knows Turkey and her politics very well, Solana, commenting on the recent rapid rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, said it was very good news. Asked whether he thought some European national parliaments' resolutions and laws on the Armenian "genocide" had contributed to reconciliation between the two embattled neighbors, Solana said history was history and should be left to historians to be analyzed. "I don't think we need to put the past every day on the table," he said, hailing President Abdullah Gül's visit to Yerevan last September.

Solana, who as a youngster fought against the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco in his native Spain, said events related to the Ergenekon investigation were very serious and should be dealt with very seriously. Stressing that any activity that has the aim of toppling an elected government should be punished, Solana underlined that the EU would support the investigation "without any doubt" as long as legal guidelines were fully respected.

Attaching great importance to Obama’s upcoming visit to Turkey, the veteran leader said the visit had the purpose of conveying a very strong message that Turkey is and should be an important player in the international community. According to Solana, the new US president is very keen on reconstructing good relations with Turkey.

As a former secretary-general of NATO speaking hours before the historic summit in Kehl and Strasbourg, Solana refrained from commenting on who should be the next secretary-general; however, he stressed that he did not think the decision would be made during the summit. Regarding Turkey’s reservations about Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Solana said he had no doubt that Rasmussen had the required capabilities but underlined that he should be approved by each and every member country. “And Turkey is an important member in the alliance,” he said.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

‘AK Party got a very good score’

Turkey has recently concluded local elections in which the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) lost slightly. Looking from Europe, how do you read the election results in terms of European reforms?

If I recall correctly, the AK Party received 39 to 40 percent of the total ballots. That is not a bad result. It is a little lower than before, but it is a very good score. And, from our point of view, there is nothing to say.

Do you think that the government has received a vote of confidence?

I think it’s a pretty good score. For us, it does not matter if they received 39 or 47 percent. What is important for us is that the government should continue the reform process. In any case, the government is doing a good job, and we support the process of reforms. I hope very much the reforms will get Turkey closer to the EU.

Actually, the expectation in Europe was a swift return to reforms after the local elections.

As you know, the process of reforms is something we welcome. That will be, in our mind, not only good for your country, the development of the economy, but it will also bring you closer to the EU. For those people, like me, who want to see Turkey getting closer to the EU, the continuation of reforms is good news. When Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan said that he will continue with the reforms, it was something we welcomed, and I hope this will be the case.

Stressing that any activity with the aim to topple an elected government should be punished, Javier Solana underlined that the EU would ‘without any doubt’ support an investigation so long as the law is fully respected.

‘Ergenekon should be punished if proven guilty’

The European Parliament, in its last two reports, called on Ankara to investigate a network called Ergenekon. You have been, maybe, the most consistent European leader asking Turkey to establish civilian-military rules according to European standards. How significant is this investigation when seen from Brussels?

Well, first, I think those events were very serious, and they have to be taken as they are, I mean, very seriously. Of course, the process of trial and investigation should be done correctly. Those sorts of activities that go against the established democracy have to be investigated, and if proven, they need to be punished. We will support it if it is done in the correct manner. No doubt about that!

The Spanish experience is a bit similar to Turkey’s history with military interventions. This is the first time in Turkish history that four-star generals have been indicted for coup attempts. Do you think the investigation is an opportunity to raise Turkish civilian-military relations to European standards?

It is an opportunity to make clear the truth of events. As I said, they were very serious events. To revolt against a constitutional government is something that has to be punished. I hope very much that truth comes out of the investigation by the appropriate handling of this case.

I remember very well that we quite frequently spoke with you about Cyprus in 2004 and 2005. You were very keen on finding a solution at the time. Unfortunately, it did not come about. The EU decided back in 2006 to look into the developments in 2009. Is 2009 a deadline on Cyprus?

It is a moment to look at how the situation has evolved. I would like to say that a new process has been put in place in 2008 led by the UN. In the last several days, the two sides have started to talk about issues related to the EU, which is, I think, very good news. You know how much I will like to see this historical crisis resolved. I did my best in all the positions I had in international and European politics to contribute to the solution.

Some members want to see 2009 as a deadline. Is this interpretation correct?

I think it is an important date in which, without any doubt, an analysis has to be made about how much the process has moved. I hope we arrive to that date with the problem solved.

If the talks between Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias do not go well, will you freeze another five or six chapters?

I think this is not the right approach. The right approach would be to get everybody together and work hard to make 2009 the year of solution. Then, all the questions you’re putting to me now will be irrelevant.

Don’t you sometimes think that it would have been much better to admit a unified island rather than a divided one?

I don’t think we will benefit a lot if we keep looking into the past. The situation right now is as it is. To speculate on how it could have been done does not lead anywhere but to certain melancholy. It is not a good exercise to look back and see what could have been done. The right approach would be to handle the present and future properly. The past, unfortunately, cannot be removed.

‘Obama wants to  construct good relations with Turkey’

US President Obama will be visiting Turkey in a few days’ time. Turkey will be the first Muslim country he will visit. What does this tell you?

I think Mr. Obama is a very wise man. In such a short time since taking office, he has proven to have a very intelligent sense about what the important issues and priorities are. He will be in İstanbul and Ankara. He will be meeting with the leaders and people. I think he wants to give a very clear message that a country like Turkey, a democracy with a predominantly Muslim population, is and should be an important player in the international community. President Obama is a very clever man who wants to construct and reconstruct good relations with your country.

President Gül paid an important visit to Armenia, which European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso dubbed “historic.” Now high-level political contact is taking place. Do you expect a breakthrough?

I would very much like to see it happen. I had the opportunity to speak with President Gül both before and after his visit to Yerevan. I have a very good personal relationship with your president. I respect him very much, and I think he is a very intelligent man. I have the impression from these talks that Turkey has the will to move forward. I also have the feeling that taking the next step would not be that difficult.

Could the next step be opening the border?

I think that should be a step. But which step, I do not know. It could be the next or the one following the next.

You know very well that relations between the two countries are already very complicated. Do you think the resolutions passed by some national parliaments of EU member countries have helped the reconciliation?

I really believe that history is history. I don’t think we need to put the past every day on the table. History needs to be analyzed by historians. The relations between countries, Armenia and Turkey in this case, need to be reconsidered and restarted.

There was a spat between Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan and Israeli President Shimon Peres in Davos. Some said Turkey lost all its leverage in the region after this incident. Do you think that Turkey can still play a pivotal role in the Middle East?

I have no doubt about that. Turkey is already playing a role in the region, it has played [a role] in the past and it will continue to do so in the future. No doubt about that!

‘I have some concerns about  the new Israeli government’

Do you have any concerns about the new Israeli government?

Yes, I have some concerns. I have devoted much of my energy to try to construct a two-state solution. This is our dream and objective, like Turkey as well as the international community. I think dealing with an Israeli government that does not recognize the two-state formula will be more difficult. I hope very much that this government, despite some of the statements that have been already made, will continue to work for a two-state solution and do this very rapidly. This should not be done in 100 years’ time. That has to be done now.

In the wake of the Erdoğan and Peres spat, there have been some articles stating that the AK Party government is taking Turkey not to the EU but to the East, to the Islamic world. Do you have such a perception?

I do not. The government is continuing the reform process and taking your country closer to the EU.