Obama focused on Turkey: Envoy
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 13, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Turkey's friendly relations with countries such as Syria and Iran could contribute to Obama's policy of dialogue, says U.S. Ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey and highlights the importance Washington attaches to Turkey
The Obama administration believes a solution to regional problems will be difficult without Turkey's contributions, the U.S. ambassador in Ankara has said. In an interview with daily Radikal published yesterday, Ambassador James Jeffrey said the new U.S. administration was showing interest in Turkey.
"First of all there is the attention that this administration is giving to Turkey as a friend and partner and as an important player in the region," said Jeffrey.
He said Turkey's friendly relations with countries such as Syria and Iran could contribute to Obama's policy of dialogue and stressed a step forward was taken during Turkish President Abdullah Gül's meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The ambassador confirmed that Gül, who flew to Iran following talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Ankara over the weekend, conveyed Washington's message of sincerity to Tehran. "We'll carefully listen to what Gül will say after his return," Jeffrey was quoted as saying.
While Turkey earlier said it would weigh any requests by both Iran and the United States to serve as a mediator between the two sides, Ahmadinejad recently said that his country did not need Turkish mediation.
In Tehran, Gül advised Iranian officials to seize the opportunity and the new climate provided by the new U.S. administration. Gül did not openly say Ankara would act as an intermediary but his statements revealed Ankara would rather encourage resumption of dialogue between Tehran and Washington.
The United States and Iran have not had diplomatic ties for three decades and are now embroiled in a row over Tehran's nuclear program. Gül earlier expressed optimism that ties between the two would improve as both countries were willing to better their relations.
Jeffrey said the Obama administration was serious about extending a hand to countries such as Syria and Iran and engaging in dialogue with them without preconditions. He said that similar to the previous administration, the current administration also had some doubts, but he reiterated that they were now extending their hand without any conditions. The ambassador said that stance had similarities with the Turkish approach to some countries and problems and said Washington believed there could be synergy between Turkey and the United States. Asked if he could give any information about the Turkish president's meeting with Ahmadinejad, Jeffrey said they read what was written in news reports and expressed the hope that the Iranians would listen to Gül.
Moderate Islam
The previous Bush administration's hailing Turkey as a moderate Islamic country was a source of controversy. While in Ankara over the weekend, Clinton refrained from using that expression and made an emphasis on Turkey's secular character, which raised questions if that was a herald of a new approach by Washington toward Turkey. Jeffrey said the description of other countries by others was not rational and said the United States accepted Turkey as it was.
On the alleged genocide of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, he said the Obama administration's position was not yet clear but praised efforts for normalization of ties between Turkey and Armenia.
"First of all there is the attention that this administration is giving to Turkey as a friend and partner and as an important player in the region," said Jeffrey.
He said Turkey's friendly relations with countries such as Syria and Iran could contribute to Obama's policy of dialogue and stressed a step forward was taken during Turkish President Abdullah Gül's meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The ambassador confirmed that Gül, who flew to Iran following talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Ankara over the weekend, conveyed Washington's message of sincerity to Tehran. "We'll carefully listen to what Gül will say after his return," Jeffrey was quoted as saying.
While Turkey earlier said it would weigh any requests by both Iran and the United States to serve as a mediator between the two sides, Ahmadinejad recently said that his country did not need Turkish mediation.
In Tehran, Gül advised Iranian officials to seize the opportunity and the new climate provided by the new U.S. administration. Gül did not openly say Ankara would act as an intermediary but his statements revealed Ankara would rather encourage resumption of dialogue between Tehran and Washington.
The United States and Iran have not had diplomatic ties for three decades and are now embroiled in a row over Tehran's nuclear program. Gül earlier expressed optimism that ties between the two would improve as both countries were willing to better their relations.
Jeffrey said the Obama administration was serious about extending a hand to countries such as Syria and Iran and engaging in dialogue with them without preconditions. He said that similar to the previous administration, the current administration also had some doubts, but he reiterated that they were now extending their hand without any conditions. The ambassador said that stance had similarities with the Turkish approach to some countries and problems and said Washington believed there could be synergy between Turkey and the United States. Asked if he could give any information about the Turkish president's meeting with Ahmadinejad, Jeffrey said they read what was written in news reports and expressed the hope that the Iranians would listen to Gül.
Moderate Islam
The previous Bush administration's hailing Turkey as a moderate Islamic country was a source of controversy. While in Ankara over the weekend, Clinton refrained from using that expression and made an emphasis on Turkey's secular character, which raised questions if that was a herald of a new approach by Washington toward Turkey. Jeffrey said the description of other countries by others was not rational and said the United States accepted Turkey as it was.
On the alleged genocide of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, he said the Obama administration's position was not yet clear but praised efforts for normalization of ties between Turkey and Armenia.