10 years after Clinton, a week before Obama
Güncelleme Tarihi:
ANKARA-“All told, there are now billions of people around the region and the world whose future depends upon decisions made in this very room over the next 25 years. Each has a stake in Turkey’s success in defining itself as a strong, secular, modern nation, proud of its traditions, fully part of Europe. That will require hard work and vision.”
This prophecy belongs to Bill Clinton, former United States president who addressed to Turkish Parliament during his visit to Turkey in 1999, almost ten years ago from another Democrat President barack obama’s trip to this country, as part of his first overseas tour since his election.
Since Obama’s visit to Turkey was declared by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton early March, there were numerous analyses and commentaries made on the new American leader’s decision to include this country to his itinerary. There will surely be a lot of them during and after the visit. Thus, before questioning why he comes to Turkey or what he will say in his statements or etc., it would be useful to take a look at to what extent the former president’s previsions were proven to be right. That is, did Turkish Parliament really shake the world with its decisions?
It was August 3, 2002 when the Turkish Parliament adopted a set of constitutional amendments that included the abolishment of the capital punishment; just months ago before the crucial European Union summit which historically decided to start accession talks with Turkey. Between 2002 and 2005, again this parliament voted in favor of more than nine constitutional amendment packages to make Turkey closer to the EU.
The commitment of Turkish lawmakers, with ups and downs, for the EU membership and the start of the negotiations in 2005 had positive affects on the entire Muslim world, which felt humiliated by the West at the post-9/11 era. Despite opposition within the organization, the European leaders have taken a courageous step in the direction of avoiding a potential “clash of civilization,” but of course thanks to Turkish Parliament’s dedication.
Another important decision of Turkish Parliament in which its effects went beyond national borders was on March 1, 2004 when it rejected a government motion allowing the U.S. to use the Turkish territory to be able to open an additional front for attacking against Saddam Hussein administration in Iraq.
Though the move had very negative impacts on Turkey’s ties with the U.S., it was praised by the rest of the world, which were against of the Iraqi war. Turkey’s decision to stay out of Iraqi war has also found scores of response from the Muslim world, as it was seen as a mark of more independent foreign policy.
On 28 August, 2007 the Turkish Parliament elected abdullah gül as the 11th president of Turkey, whose wife wears an Islamic headscarf, after months of tense debates on the grounds that it would be seen as a deviation from the secular orders of the republic. On 6 February, 2008 the Parliament voted in favor of annulment of the ban imposed on women wearing headscarf to study at the universities. That started another flurry of political struggle in the country, which caused top prosecutor to open a closure case against the ruling party arguing that the Justice and Development Party, or akp, has become the focal point of anti-secular acts.
The discussion put many both within and outside Turkey into a dilemma between “democracy or secularism”, hurting the image of the country. Foreign observers made calls to Turkey to keep its both secular and democratic principles together and not to give up one of them in favor of the other. Unfortunately, until now, the Parliament failed to renew the constitution, a production of 1980 coup d’état, which is seen as a missed to chance to turn Turkey into a more modern nation.
Nevertheless, with both its failures and successes, the Turkish Parliament has been among important actors defining the parameters of some important decisions not only for Turks but also for people in its greater region and the world. There is surely a long way to reach Western standards in achieving a stronger secular democracy with strengthened economy and human resources quality in order for greater contribution to global affairs to sustain a more peaceful world.
barack obama will sure be fair in voicing the progress this country made so far but should at the same time renew Clinton’s expectations with just one fact that there is 15 years left before this end.