Ferai Tinc: Turco-U.S. Relations, Important for both parties

“Turco-U.S. relations are getting reinstated all over.” This was what Vural Akisik, the President of the DEIk Turco-American Business Council and members of the Board were telling a group of journalists last week.“If so, what was the meaning of US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld’s leaving Turkey without even shaking hands with a Turkish official on his way back from a regional tour and a brief stay in Incirlik? In his “Victory tour”, Rumsfeld stayed four hours in Afghanistan where he declared victory ; he gave hopes in Iraq and thanked to the Gulf countries which sheltered and will shelter American soldiers…Is it natural for Turkey to be excluded from his program? That Rumsfeld attempted to take such a  stance to Turkey while “Using” the Incirlik air base, the most concrete example of the cooperation between the two countries, can not be defined as a successful gesture. “…It is high time to spend an active effort to overcome negativeness. “…Today there is a meeting in Washington to restructure Iraq. Turkish businessmen will join that too. Both because of her economic potential, and her political experience, Turkey is a country that can not be overlooked in restructuring Iraq. This is a clear fact but it is useful to underline it again. But how? “By taking steps showing that Turkey is ready to assist with compassion, all Iraqis including Arabs, Kurds and Turkomans; to extend a hand for the stability of Iraq instead of giving distrust messages. That will enable Turkey to lead a broad atmosphere of cooperation.”�