Was it a mistake to recall the two ambassadors?

Thursday, 18 March 2010 09:17

Turkey has recalled its ambassadors from the US and Sweden in response to the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Swedish parliament passing resolutions labeling the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey in the early 20th century as genocide.
Here are two different opinions. The first group argues that it was a mistake to recall the ambassadors. The “mistake” group argues that our ambassador should stay in the US in order to keep the doors of dialogue open and continue to lobby. The proponents of the second view offer various justifications for calling the recall a good move. “Recalling [an ambassador] is the second gravest action to withdrawal,” they say. They further suggest that a message has been sent at the highest level to all parties involved and that results will be obtained which would not be obtained through bilateral talks. It seems the second view is influential at the Turkish foreign mission. The Swedish government made clear statements that imply an “apology.” They even posted a written statement on their Web site saying that they do not approve of their parliament’s decision. Turkey has obtained the desired results by recalling its ambassador.

ERHAN BASYURT/BUGUN