Election result obstructs Erdogan's plans to change the face of Turkey, says Al Jazeera's senior political analyst.
Marwan Bishara
Al-Jazeera
"Al Jazeera's senior political analyst examines the consequences of Turkey's parliamentary elections as Recep Tayyip Erdogan is elected to a third term as prime minister.....
....
What are the implications of this election for the wider region?
Whatever Arab policy the AKP has had over the past decade - including the so-called "zero problems with neighbours" policy, and especially the state-to-state relations that included normalising relations with Arab dicators - clearly the Arab awakening has put a wrench into all of that, and put a stop to the normalisation of Turkey’s relations with its southern neighbours.
The Arabs have seen Turkey move swiftly on asking Hosni Mubarak to step down in Egypt, but also react with serious hesitation when it came to the bloody policies of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.
It was clear that Turkey had put its interests above its declared principles. It disappointed many in the Arab world, in that it did not act swiftly and categorically to condemn the Libyan and Syrian leaders, and ask them to step down.
Now, in the last few days, we have witnessed Erdogan taking a far more principled stand - perhaps a bit late, but late is better than never. But clearly it is not enough for Turkey to turn over a new page with the Arab world.
I spoke with foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu extensively this week about Turkey’s relations with the Arab world.
I think we should expect that Turkey will make a major foreign policy stand or statement that will underline and clarify future Turkish policy with its neighbours, and make it clear that it stands with change and will not stand with those who are indifferent to, or resistant to, change in the Arab region."
Marwan Bishara
Al-Jazeera
"Al Jazeera's senior political analyst examines the consequences of Turkey's parliamentary elections as Recep Tayyip Erdogan is elected to a third term as prime minister.....
....
What are the implications of this election for the wider region?
Whatever Arab policy the AKP has had over the past decade - including the so-called "zero problems with neighbours" policy, and especially the state-to-state relations that included normalising relations with Arab dicators - clearly the Arab awakening has put a wrench into all of that, and put a stop to the normalisation of Turkey’s relations with its southern neighbours.
The Arabs have seen Turkey move swiftly on asking Hosni Mubarak to step down in Egypt, but also react with serious hesitation when it came to the bloody policies of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.
It was clear that Turkey had put its interests above its declared principles. It disappointed many in the Arab world, in that it did not act swiftly and categorically to condemn the Libyan and Syrian leaders, and ask them to step down.
Now, in the last few days, we have witnessed Erdogan taking a far more principled stand - perhaps a bit late, but late is better than never. But clearly it is not enough for Turkey to turn over a new page with the Arab world.
I spoke with foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu extensively this week about Turkey’s relations with the Arab world.
I think we should expect that Turkey will make a major foreign policy stand or statement that will underline and clarify future Turkish policy with its neighbours, and make it clear that it stands with change and will not stand with those who are indifferent to, or resistant to, change in the Arab region."
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