Numa encruzilhada

A Turquia, país ao qual me tenho dedicado nos últimos dias com especial intensidade, tem sido objecto de alguma atenção em termos internacionais. Primeiro, pela mediação que fez, juntamente com o Brasil, da questão iraniana. Irritou os Estados Unidos, assim como outros parceiros ocidentais, porque não defendeu o fim do programa nuclear do Irão. Muitos auguraram um afastamento da Turquia do Ocidente. Outros diziam que isto é normal e que este país sempre jogou com os dois lados – é a vantagem de estar no meio de dois continentes, eu diria. Aliás, a sua política externa, conhecida como a “Zero Problems’ Foreign Policy”, com o intuito de resolver os problemas com a sua vizinhança também está a desagradar a Hillary Clinton que se mostrou desiludida com as recentes posições turcas no cenário internacional.

“Turkey is trying to become a major player in the region, which means it has to rebalance its relationship with the U.S.,” said Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, director of the Ankara office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “In the case of Iran, Turkey does not want a U.S. or Israeli strike. It does not want sanctions. Turkey knows that sanctions did not work against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq during the 1990s.” (Artigo de 26 de Maio do NYT)

 

De facto, a Turquia começa a preocupar os EUA. Caso contrário, Obama não teria passado uma hora ao telefone com Erdogan, não fosse este Primeiro-Ministro de um membro da NATO e de um candidato à União Europeia.

“Mr. Erdogan and his new foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, are spearheading this policy. If they succeed, it will mean prestige and respect for a mostly Muslim, Western-oriented country that is determined to bring stability to a volatile region on Turkey’s borders. So far, the policy has had mixed results. Take Armenia, with whom Turkey cut all  diplomatic relations in 1993 and closed the border. Two years ago, as part of Ankara’s zero-problems strategy, Turkish and Armenian diplomats held secret talks culminating in direct negotiations between their presidents. In August, the countries agreed to normalize relations in what was hailed as a major breakthrough for promoting stability in the Caucasus. But the borders are still closed. More talks are on hold.” (Do mesmo artigo)

A Turquia está a iniciar este caminho na sua consolidação como potência regional. A alcançá-la e a entrar na União, só haveria vantagens para todos. Mas um longo caminho a aguarda ainda.

“This month, Mr. Erdogan was given the red-carpet treatment when he visited Athens. Mr. Davutoglu said the visit was “a revolution.”

Keeping the zero-problems policy on track will take all the skill of Turkish diplomats and their counterparts in the region. “We know that the zero-problems policy is very ambitious,” said Suat Kiniklioglu, a legislator who is deputy chairman of the Justice and Development Party. “But we have an interest in seeing our neighborhood stabilized and interdependencies created.”

That can only be good news for the United States and Europe. Washington understands what Turkey is trying to do. But the European Union, so far, has shown little interest in a country aspiring to membership that is trying to reach out to its enemies.”