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  • ANKARA: 'US-Turkey Security Ties Will Remain Unchanged'

    'US-TURKEY SECURITY TIES WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED'

    Hurriyet Daily News
    Aug 3, 2011
    Turkey

    US Ambassador to Turkey Ricciardone says he is sure that the
    resignation of Turkey's top brass will not affect the security
    relations between Turkey and the United States at a hearing at the
    Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'The security relationship goes
    beyond individuals, it is based on institutions,' Ricciardone says

    This file photo shows US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone
    speaking at a hearing last year in the US Senate Foreign Relations
    Committee. AA photo

    Security relations between Turkey and the United States will remain
    unaffected by the recent resignation of Turkey's top brass, U.S.

    Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said Wednesday at a hearing
    at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

    "We look forward to working with the new [military] leadership. The
    security relationship, though, goes beyond individuals, it is based
    on institutions. Turkey is a state of law and strong institutions
    that are durable even though they are dynamic and in change. I have
    every confidence that our security relationship will continue to
    be strong, that our military leaders will meet with the new Turkish
    military leaders... I am very confident things will be just fine,"
    Ricciardone said.

    Ricciardone has been acting as the envoy to Turkey, but his appointment
    must still be approved by the Senate.

    Commenting on the resignation of Turkey's chief of General Staff and
    top force commanders, Ricciardone said there was always turnover in
    the military leadership around this time of the year.

    "This turnover happened in a different way by means of a resignation
    under evident protest for particular reasons articulated by Gen.

    [IÅ~_ık] KoÅ~_aner," he said, adding that he was "very, very
    confident" that this situation had not caused any setbacks in security
    relations between the two countries.

    "During my 33-year career in the Foreign Service, I've had the
    pleasure and the privilege of previously having served in Turkey three
    times. And through this period, I've observed Turkey's continuing
    transformation into a more democratic, more open and more economically
    vibrant modern state, and as a player with growing influence on
    the world stage," he said. "Throughout this change in development,
    there has been one constant, and that has been Turkey's continued
    commitment to its partnership with the United States and the NATO
    alliance. It's also a member of the G-20 now, and having one of the
    fastest-growing economies in the world."

    Ricciardone also highlighted Turkey's role as a majority Muslim nation
    and as a secular democracy, while drawing attention to the intensive
    cooperation that has taken place between Turkey and the U.S.

    for decades in diverse areas, ranging from trade and regional stability
    to countering terrorism and strengthening democracy.

    "Just last month, Turkish security officials arrested an alleged
    al-Qaeda cell that was plotting to bomb Western interests in Turkey,
    including the United States embassy. We support Turkey's own foremost
    security objective of defeating the terrorist violence, which the PKK
    [outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party] continues to perpetrate and which
    has led to the deaths of over 30,000 Turks since the 1980s. We strongly
    support Turkey's efforts to improve the human rights and economic
    situation for the Kurds, and their democratic participation as full
    citizens, and the rights also of other communities of vulnerable
    groups in Turkey," he was quoted as saying by Anatolia news agency.

    The U.S. backs Turkey's aspirations to join the European Union,
    while the U.S. will also continue to press for the reforms required
    for Turkey's accession, he said.

    "I've been privileged to serve in Ankara during the Arab Spring,
    during which I've strived to enlist Turkish support for the NATO
    role in Libya, for a successful transition to democracy in Egypt,
    and in collaboration with my colleague and friend next door in Syria,
    to pressure the regime in Syria to cease its brutal repression and
    to heed the will of its people," he added.

    "On missile defense, Turkey did support, of course, the NATO statement
    at Lisbon. They support the NATO effort to have a phased adaptive
    approach radar system. We've moved well beyond that generality to
    have detailed technical discussions and legal discussions with the
    government of Turkey," Ricciardone said.

    Senator Robert Menendez, known for his critical stance toward Turkey,
    criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements on the
    issue of Cyprus and inquired about Ricciardone's views on the matter.

    Ricciardone replied that the U.S. wanted a solution based on a bi-zonal
    and bi-communal federation on the divided island.

    Menendez also inquired about Ricciardone's views on Armenian
    allegations of genocide regarding the bloody events of 1915. "I stand
    behind President [Barack] Obama's characterization of the Yeds Meghern,
    as the Armenians themselves call it, the tragic massacre, murder of,
    you know, a million and a half men, women and children marched to
    their deaths in 1915. But I stand behind our characterization of that
    and our efforts of what we're trying to do now," he said.

    Ricciardone also pointed out that any instability in Syria could have
    direct security and economic repercussions on Turkey's vital national
    interests. The Turkish government did not see religious minorities
    as a threat and was pleased over religious diversity in the country,
    Ricciardone said, adding that the Turkish government had been exerting
    efforts to alleviate the problems of religious minorities.

    Touching on Israel, he said: "I feel very certain, having discussed
    this at length with the prime minister and the foreign minister,
    certainly the military leadership, that all these Turks, whatever
    their feelings, misgivings, irritation, issues over the terrible
    flotilla incident of last year, over events in Gaza, they understand
    that to influence events in the region, to be part of a more peaceful
    and prosperous region, which is in their vital national interest,
    they need to have a normal, fruitful, respectful, full diplomatic
    dialogue with Israel, and they want to get back to that," he said.

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