"Erdogan government's Hamas migraine
Cengiz Candar
ccandar@superonline.com
14 April 2006
The latest turmoil in Ankara-Washington relations is, seemingly, due to the dissatisfaction of the U.S. on the Erdogan government's invitation of a Hamas delegation to Turkey. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) leadership cannot the conceive the logic of the American argument, since Hamas was allowed to participate in the Palestinian elections, which was fair and realized in consistency with the avowed aim of the U.S. administration to spread democracy in the Middle East.
In Turkish minds, Hamas is, after all, a legitimately elected representative of the Palestinian people; therefore, what can be wrong in contacting them and using Turkey's 'good offices' and political weight to advise them to recognize Israel's existence and resume the negotiations to reach a resolution of the conflict?"
More:The New Anatolian
