"Erdogan's definitive choice: The US, not the EU
Huseyin Bagci
bagci@metu.edu.tr
24 April 2006
There are great political expectations surrounding the visit of U.S. secretary of state to Ankara this Wednesday. The reason could be that the U.S. is now turning more helpful to Turkey in fighting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorism, whereas the European Union still remains 'neutral.' Despite the fact that the U.S. government is receiving very stern criticisms from the Turkish public, it remains Turkey's most important partner for the time being. The developments in northern Iraq and the unsuccessful civil unrest in southeastern Anatolia forced the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party government to accept the military measures suggested by the chief of General Staff. More than 200,000 soldiers have reportedly been sent to the region, and the U.S. is providing intelligence reports to the Turkish government about the location of PKK terrorists. Like in the 'good old days' in the '90s, it seems that the U.S. doesn't trust the PKK, because not even the U.S. was expecting such civil unrest last month after the Nevruz celebrations. Most probably Democratic Society Party (DTP) politicians and the PKK underestimated the U.S. and played more on the European Union and thus manipulated EU institutions. And last week Ahmet Turk, co-chair of the DTP, said live on TV that the DTP and the PKK had the same political basis, which created great anger in Washington. It's been years since the U.S. listed the PKK as a terrorist organization, and its name changes haven't altered the U.S. position. Now the fronts are much clearer and the U.S. is on the side of Turkey, because Turkey and the U.S. are fighting global terrorism together. In this framework, Turkey enjoys the support of the U.S., and the visit of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Ankara is happening under changed conditions."
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