Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Stability in Turkey means stability in the region

by Burhanettin Duran

Mar 02, 2019 - 12:18 am GMT+3
by Burhanettin Duran Mar 02, 2019 12:18 am

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan talks a great deal about the nation's survival ahead of this month's municipal elections. The question in his mind goes beyond wealth and poverty, despite what the opposition seems to think. Instead, Erdoğan wants to create a new setting that will end a series of attacks that Turkey has had to endure since 2013. He wants to leave the turbulence the country has experienced in recent years in the past. Erdoğan's answer to that problem is to consolidate the presidential system of government. His goal is to "preserve Turkey's stability" and "ensure that it stays on track."

The idea of staying on track refers to both the question of survival and the preservation of Turkey's leadership role in the region – which directly addresses the country's extraordinary contributions to regional and global stability.

In a recent meeting with opinion leaders from eastern and southeastern Turkey, Erdoğan summarized his view as follows: "If we stumble, the people that pull tricks every day to fuel clashes among people in our neighborhood will rejoice. If we stumble, the Islamophobes, who have been on the rise across the West including Europe and the United States, will get out of control."

Clearly, the president did not utter those words just to help with the People's Alliance campaign for municipal elections. As a matter of fact, it was noteworthy that he was addressing opinion leaders from a certain part of the country that day.

In his speech, Erdoğan reminded his audience about the pain and suffering the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and its separatist agenda would unleash on Turkey and the region. On that day, he did not just talk about the destructive roles that the terrorist organization PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG), play in an attempt to establish a statelet in Syria. He also stressed that the country was crucial for the safety and well-being of all people in the region. In other words, his emphasis was on Turkey's stabilizing impact on the region rather than the fear of disintegration.

The challenges that Turkey faced in recent years are closely linked to efforts by outsiders to redesign the region. Erdoğan's platform combines his criticism of the global order – "the world is bigger than five" – and a rejection of the status quo and sectarian polarization at the regional level. His frequent references to Egypt, Iraq and Syria, along with his commitment to assume a principled position in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Balkans, do not mean that Turkey is looking for a fight. Quite the contrary, those conclusions are based on a realistic assessment of regional affairs.

At a time when Washington's liberal hegemony is crumbling, the European Union has betrayed its own values and embraced Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's regime to keep refugees out, and the two crown princes fuel conflict and rivalry in the Gulf, no government and nation can expect to survive without standing up for themselves. Those who are unprepared to pay a price are bound to pay that price in the end.

All the way across the greater Middle East, Algeria has been trembling with popular unrest. On the opposite side, the conflict between Pakistan and India threatens to evolve into an all-out war. The region will remain turbulent for a long time; hence, the significance of Turkey's contributions to stability. It was no coincidence that Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, asked the country to help reduce tension between his government and India.

Any opinion poll in the region would reveal that most people believe the weakening of Erdoğan would be against the interests of Turkey and the Middle East. As such, it is true that the region, too, needs another 4.5 years of stability in Turkey for its own good.

About the author
Burhanettin Duran is General Coordinator of SETA Foundation and a professor at Social Sciences University of Ankara. He is also a member of Turkish Presidency Security and Foreign Policies Council.
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Frankfurt, Germany (2019 vs. 2020)
    Christmas markets across Europe canceled over pandemic
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021