Those contacts for lobbying was already planned before the Davos event happened and Washington embassy had prepared a rich program for the guest deputies. Think tank institutes like Brookings and CFR, some Jewish organizations and officials from Congress and Foreign Ministry were in the list of visitings.
Justice and Development Party deputies had came to Washington with the "hold your heads high" order of Prime Minister Erdogan after the Gaza war. The basic target was stressing how indispensable Turkey is for region, U.S., EU and Israel and how a possible recognition of Armenian genocide allegations by Congress or in 24 April by President would create negative results. Davos event put the delegation into defence position while it was planning to attack. They faced with sometimes emotional, sometimes diplomatic criticals in everywhere they went. Behind the closed doors, the things that the delegation of Turkish Grand National Assembly heard was approximately;
"Some lines are passed in the statements of Prime Minister (in the context of anti-semitism)"
"American Jewish Organizations will not show negative or positive effort about the Armenian resolution."
"If you use a rhetoric which accuses Israel about the recognition of an Armenian resolution that would irritate Congress even more"
"Words are not enough from now on. You should do concrete moves for preventing recognition of "genocide", such as opening borders to Armenia."
"It is appearent that you target the elections in short term. But are you aware that some of those negative statements may create troubles in the context of IMF, EU, relations with Israel and Middle East in long time basis?"
One of the meeting that deputies were welcomed was the one with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dan Fried. In the meeting that Nationalist Movement Party Deputy Mithat Melen attended, Dan Fried's statemenst were welcoming and kind. He espacially praised the efforts for normalization of relations with Armenia. One of the most effective thing on the Congress which is controlled by Obama and Democratic Party deputies mostly, is concrete results in the normalization process with Armenia.
The anti-Israel atmosphere in the Turkey after the Gaza war increased with the Davos event and it gave movement area to the Armenian lobby in USA. Actually this anti-Israel atmosphere may frighten U.S. and it may make American administration to take the warnings of TUrkish government about the results of recognition of genocide allegations seriously.
The relations between Turkey and Israel has strategical importance. Thus American officials may intend to mediate between Turkey and Israel for reducing tension. Taking about the mediation role of Turkey in the Middle East; traditional actors in the Middle East such as USA, France, Egypt and Iran perceives desires of Turkey for mediation as a an intention for stealing role in the region and none of them inclined to give a place to Turkey in the field.
U.S. and Israel insinuated many times that their choice for mediation in Middle East is Egypt. Egypt was the first Muslim state that Obama has called as he won the elections while they replied the calls of congratulation of Ankara later. I believe that Israel never did think about making any compromise about Golan heights in the negotiations with Syria, but basicly convinced to interview with Syrian officials to not to hurt Turkey which had desires of mediation. Briefly speaking, if we keep our expectations about our role in Middle East and peace so high, we may be dissappointed again as in the mediation between Syria and Israel.
Turkey should remain with its good relations both with Western World and Islam world. It should strengthen its emotional, political and economical relations with Muslim world and it should continue with integrating Western World. In this context, the statements of the delegation in the Washington saying, "Turkey is not seperating with Western. We are attached with EU process" is important. Now we should prove these words with actions.
AL? H. ASLAN / Zaman
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