Turks to NATO: Let’s get it right
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Serkan Demirtaş
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 22, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Turkey says the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan, referred to collectively as Afpak, should be considered separate cases with separate solutions. 'Analysis made for Afghanistan cannot be applicable to Pakistan,' a senior official says. Turkey has expressed this view to NATO, the EU and the US and will work to influence policy in the region
Amid new initiatives to deal with the growing problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkey is readying to roll up its sleeves to guide international efforts toward a more sound policy regarding the region.
Despite its support for the United States-led approach to resolving issues in the troubled region, Turkey has objected to the generalization of the countries’ problems, saying, "One size does not always fit all."
"Analysis made for Afghanistan cannot be applicable to Pakistan. We have no problem with the use of the word ’Afpak,’ but one should not forget the differences between these two countries," a senior foreign ministry official told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
In the lexicon of U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration, Afpak refers to Afghanistan and Pakistan and denotes Washington’s desire to take a unified approach to policy and strategy on these two countries. Afghanistan and Pakistan share a mountainous, thousands-of-kilometers-long border that divides ethnic Pashtuns.
In a move to win the 8-year-old war against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, the new American administration has launched a counterinsurgency strategy that includes both military and civilian measures. The additional troops are supposed to provide security for Afghans and for the influx of civilians who will serve as advisers on a wide range of areas, including farming, banking and road construction.
In nuclear-armed Pakistan, the rise of the Taliban in the country’s Swat valley, where it has declared Shariah law, has prompted fears in the West that this strategic country could turn into a failed state, weakening an already fragile region. The new U.S. approach aims to support Pakistan’s military and civilian institutions. Turkey sees both countries as equally important for the stability of the region, but acknowledges Pakistan as a key source of balance.
"Efforts to create an identity problem in Pakistan constitute the core of the problem," a senior official said. "Pakistan is Pakistan, just like Afghanistan is Afghanistan. Ignoring this fact could result in dividing these countries. Protecting the identity and integrity of Pakistan is the fundamental part of the solution," he said.
It is not right, the official said, to compare the two countries too closely: "Pakistan, as an established state, has traditions and a strong national capacity. Therefore, the comments that Pakistan could turn into a failed state are not right. Pakistan should be empowered."
Turkish foreign ministry officials have conveyed this perspective to NATO, the European Union and the U.S., sources told the Daily News. Turkish Ambassador to Islamabad Engin Soysal recently briefed NATO and EU ambassadors in Brussels on Pakistan and asked them to consider the problems in the country as a separate case. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is also planning a trip to the region.
As it is for many other countries, Afghanistan is also high on Turkey’s list of foreign-policy priorities.
Turkey has around 800 troops in Kabul under the NATO umbrella and plans to increase its military presence this fall when it takes its command for the third time since 2002.
Turkey is also interested in increasing the quality of life in this war-torn country by making contributions in the fields of education, health and infrastructure.
"Our contributions to Afghanistan will continue at both the diplomatic and social-economic levels. We will arrange more coordination meetings for Afghanistan. In this sense, we will be more dynamic," the senior official said.
Working group
As part of its diplomatic efforts with regard to Afghanistan, Turkey will chair a working group on the country at the United Nations Security Council, on which it is a non-permanent member.
"There are more and more countries coming to Turkey to listen our views about Afghanistan," the senior official said. "Because they know that we feel for and understand this country."
Despite its support for the United States-led approach to resolving issues in the troubled region, Turkey has objected to the generalization of the countries’ problems, saying, "One size does not always fit all."
"Analysis made for Afghanistan cannot be applicable to Pakistan. We have no problem with the use of the word ’Afpak,’ but one should not forget the differences between these two countries," a senior foreign ministry official told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
In the lexicon of U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration, Afpak refers to Afghanistan and Pakistan and denotes Washington’s desire to take a unified approach to policy and strategy on these two countries. Afghanistan and Pakistan share a mountainous, thousands-of-kilometers-long border that divides ethnic Pashtuns.
In a move to win the 8-year-old war against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, the new American administration has launched a counterinsurgency strategy that includes both military and civilian measures. The additional troops are supposed to provide security for Afghans and for the influx of civilians who will serve as advisers on a wide range of areas, including farming, banking and road construction.
In nuclear-armed Pakistan, the rise of the Taliban in the country’s Swat valley, where it has declared Shariah law, has prompted fears in the West that this strategic country could turn into a failed state, weakening an already fragile region. The new U.S. approach aims to support Pakistan’s military and civilian institutions. Turkey sees both countries as equally important for the stability of the region, but acknowledges Pakistan as a key source of balance.
"Efforts to create an identity problem in Pakistan constitute the core of the problem," a senior official said. "Pakistan is Pakistan, just like Afghanistan is Afghanistan. Ignoring this fact could result in dividing these countries. Protecting the identity and integrity of Pakistan is the fundamental part of the solution," he said.
It is not right, the official said, to compare the two countries too closely: "Pakistan, as an established state, has traditions and a strong national capacity. Therefore, the comments that Pakistan could turn into a failed state are not right. Pakistan should be empowered."
Turkish foreign ministry officials have conveyed this perspective to NATO, the European Union and the U.S., sources told the Daily News. Turkish Ambassador to Islamabad Engin Soysal recently briefed NATO and EU ambassadors in Brussels on Pakistan and asked them to consider the problems in the country as a separate case. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is also planning a trip to the region.
As it is for many other countries, Afghanistan is also high on Turkey’s list of foreign-policy priorities.
Turkey has around 800 troops in Kabul under the NATO umbrella and plans to increase its military presence this fall when it takes its command for the third time since 2002.
Turkey is also interested in increasing the quality of life in this war-torn country by making contributions in the fields of education, health and infrastructure.
"Our contributions to Afghanistan will continue at both the diplomatic and social-economic levels. We will arrange more coordination meetings for Afghanistan. In this sense, we will be more dynamic," the senior official said.
Working group
As part of its diplomatic efforts with regard to Afghanistan, Turkey will chair a working group on the country at the United Nations Security Council, on which it is a non-permanent member.
"There are more and more countries coming to Turkey to listen our views about Afghanistan," the senior official said. "Because they know that we feel for and understand this country."