Tweet
Today's Zaman
Columnists
BERIL DEDEOGLU
[email protected]
The power of NGOs
There were several reactions in Turkey after an influential Jewish NGO
in the United States declared that the events of 1915 under the
Ottoman Empire qualified as "genocide." The Turkish government was the
main actor responding, which is in fact absurd. Numerous NGOs,
associations and think tanks all over the world, including in the US,
conduct research, publish reports or make statements about foreign
countries and societies. These declarations are not necessarily
positive. After an ethnic or religious NGO's declaration,
interrogating a state with the same ethnic and/or religious
affiliation as the NGO also is ridiculous. In other words, it is
meaningless to ask Israel "What's going on?" simply because the Jewish
lobby in the United States makes a negative statement about Turkey.
NGO activities in Turkey are a relatively new phenomenon and that is
why society and the government's experience with such work is limited.
The general feeling is that every NGO is supported by at least one
government and that those in the US don't favor Turkey, anyway. This
feeling is related to Turkey's own democratic traditions.
Nevertheless, there are some people who certainly know that an NGO
declaration will result in Turkey contacting the Israeli government.
They also know that when the "Armenian genocide" issue arises, the
Turkish government will absolutely respond. When one puts the genocide
issue and the Jewish NGO together, it is obvious that somebody wants
Turkey to analyze this issue as an interstate affair.
There are several facts prompting Turkey to consider the "genocide"
issue an interstate problem. As this subject is debated in the
parliaments of many countries and recognition laws are adopted, it
becomes easier to take this as a "state" problem. That's why Turkey
has drawn away from the essence of the debate and has focused on
designating which country develops hostile policies toward Turkey with
genocide rhetoric. The people of Armenian origin living in different
countries have diverging external or domestic motivations and
sensibilities, but this "interstate" atmosphere completely avoids
those.
One can even think that the actual state of affairs, which has existed
for a very long time, is exactly what is needed by all parties. Maybe
the "irresolution" process of the issue is more beneficial than its
resolution process. Once before the US Congress, the genocide issue
will affect relations between the Democrats and Turkey at a moment
when everybody thinks the Democrats will accede to power after the
next presidential election. That's why Turkey, not a good ally of the
Bush administration given the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) issue and
Iraq policy, will also have doubts about the next Democratic
administration. That's why it would be reasonable for Turkey to trust
the current administration. But as the trust between Turkey and the US
influences directly Turkey's relations with the Middle East and
Russia, Turkey will also have to approach other allies of the United
States. Thus we will have to stop avoiding Israel and establish new
dialogue.
The rapprochement between states or societies, especially between
Turkey and Israel, is appropriate. However, there is an irony in that
the Armenian diaspora pushes Turkey against the wall, making Armenia
more dependent on Russia, consolidating its isolation, and encourages
Turkey's rapprochement with Israel and the United States. It's obvious
that there are some people designing their policies through Turkey's
reactions. That's why the genocide issue is not used as a matter
encouraging societies to engage in a dialogue, but as a tool to orient
states' foreign policies.
29.08.2007
Source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/yazarDetay.do?ha berno=120601
Columnists
BERIL DEDEOGLU
[email protected]
The power of NGOs
There were several reactions in Turkey after an influential Jewish NGO
in the United States declared that the events of 1915 under the
Ottoman Empire qualified as "genocide." The Turkish government was the
main actor responding, which is in fact absurd. Numerous NGOs,
associations and think tanks all over the world, including in the US,
conduct research, publish reports or make statements about foreign
countries and societies. These declarations are not necessarily
positive. After an ethnic or religious NGO's declaration,
interrogating a state with the same ethnic and/or religious
affiliation as the NGO also is ridiculous. In other words, it is
meaningless to ask Israel "What's going on?" simply because the Jewish
lobby in the United States makes a negative statement about Turkey.
NGO activities in Turkey are a relatively new phenomenon and that is
why society and the government's experience with such work is limited.
The general feeling is that every NGO is supported by at least one
government and that those in the US don't favor Turkey, anyway. This
feeling is related to Turkey's own democratic traditions.
Nevertheless, there are some people who certainly know that an NGO
declaration will result in Turkey contacting the Israeli government.
They also know that when the "Armenian genocide" issue arises, the
Turkish government will absolutely respond. When one puts the genocide
issue and the Jewish NGO together, it is obvious that somebody wants
Turkey to analyze this issue as an interstate affair.
There are several facts prompting Turkey to consider the "genocide"
issue an interstate problem. As this subject is debated in the
parliaments of many countries and recognition laws are adopted, it
becomes easier to take this as a "state" problem. That's why Turkey
has drawn away from the essence of the debate and has focused on
designating which country develops hostile policies toward Turkey with
genocide rhetoric. The people of Armenian origin living in different
countries have diverging external or domestic motivations and
sensibilities, but this "interstate" atmosphere completely avoids
those.
One can even think that the actual state of affairs, which has existed
for a very long time, is exactly what is needed by all parties. Maybe
the "irresolution" process of the issue is more beneficial than its
resolution process. Once before the US Congress, the genocide issue
will affect relations between the Democrats and Turkey at a moment
when everybody thinks the Democrats will accede to power after the
next presidential election. That's why Turkey, not a good ally of the
Bush administration given the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) issue and
Iraq policy, will also have doubts about the next Democratic
administration. That's why it would be reasonable for Turkey to trust
the current administration. But as the trust between Turkey and the US
influences directly Turkey's relations with the Middle East and
Russia, Turkey will also have to approach other allies of the United
States. Thus we will have to stop avoiding Israel and establish new
dialogue.
The rapprochement between states or societies, especially between
Turkey and Israel, is appropriate. However, there is an irony in that
the Armenian diaspora pushes Turkey against the wall, making Armenia
more dependent on Russia, consolidating its isolation, and encourages
Turkey's rapprochement with Israel and the United States. It's obvious
that there are some people designing their policies through Turkey's
reactions. That's why the genocide issue is not used as a matter
encouraging societies to engage in a dialogue, but as a tool to orient
states' foreign policies.
29.08.2007
Source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/yazarDetay.do?ha berno=120601