Turkey and United States: Back to Good Old Days

Obama will try to bridge or at least narrow the gap between United States and the Muslim world.

  Barack Obama has made one of his most important visits to Turkey, the bridge between West and the Muslim world. Iranian Diplomacy has discussed the different aspects of this visit in an interview with Davoud Hermidas Bavand, international affairs expert.

How do you analyze Obama’s visit to Turkey?

Turkey is a member of the European Community, NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and an EU hopeful. Obama’s visit to Turkey is important if we consider the drifting apart when U.S. decided to attack Iraq and warned Turkey on military measures against Kurdish rebels sheltering in northern Iraq. The visit is going to take the relations back to warm days. United States has also supported Turkey’s membership in the European Union and its demands for giving Turkish generals a higher position in NATO’s commanding structure. Turkey’s status as the bridge between East and West, and its geopolitical weight was stressed by this visit.

Obama’s feelings towards Islam and the Muslim world may differ from other Americans due to his Muslim roots. And his administration is intent to avoid any tensions between the Muslim world and West. The American president is going to mitigate the disputes and his visit to Turkey is significant regarding his aim to establish closer ties with Muslim countries.

How will the visit affect Turkey’s efforts to join the European Union?

This depends on the European Union. And United States had supported Turkey’s membership before during Clinton and Bush’s presidency. With Turkey’s role as a peace-broker mediating between Israel and Syria, and its constructive role in a likely reconciliation between Iran and America, the chances for Turkey becoming an EU member are high.

Turkey’s greatest visit was Obama’s attitude towards the Armenian problem. Will Obama label Armenians’ slaughter as genocide?

Generally, as statesmen whose remarks significantly influence foreign affairs, U.S. presidents have avoided the term ’genocide’, unlike the Congress which is consisted of representatives from different political camps. However, with recent developments such as the assassination of Hrand Dink, the Armenian journalist, chances are that Turkey apologizes. That’s what the Armenian side is also willing for since it unfreezes bilateral ties. Turkey and Armenia are neighbors and with an apology, their relations can move into a new era.

  Was Obama’s speech in the Turkish parliament his words for the Muslim world from a Muslim capital?

Yes. And we should not forget, what today is recognized as ’international terrorism’ is rooted in the Muslim world. Al-Qaeda originated from Saudi Arabia. Taliban, south Philippines’ rebels and militant Indonesian groups that are recognized as terrorist groups all are in Muslim countries. There is a predicament, how to counter terrorism and improve relations with Muslim countries. Bush tried to introduce it as a new crusade but tried to soothe his harsh words later. Obama has Muslim roots and that probably makes him more willing to bridge the gap or at least make it narrower.