Tariq Saeedi
The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti) has turned 96.
In nearly a century of its history, Turkey has moved forward on the sheer strength of the resilience and unity of its people despite the broken promises and shifting goalposts from many sides.
Today, Turkey hosts nearly 4 million Syrian refugees although it prefers to call them guests. The refugee camps in Turkey offer better living conditions and healthcare and educational facilities than what is available to more than half of the population of the world. Most of it is funded by the Turkish taxpayers.
Today, Turkey has nearly solved the conflict situation at its border with Syria, a situation that could have turned into an existential crisis if left unattended.
Today, Turkey is firmly positioned to serve as the energy and transport hub, affording the European continent the prospects of infrastructural and resource support for economic security.
Today, Turkey actively pursues the peace processes in many parts of the world, most notably Afghanistan. The Istanbul process is an example of this valuable contribution.
Today, Turkey is undergoing some internal political readjustments. To an outsider this may look like erosion of the sway of Erdogan but anyone with deep knowledge of the Turkish society can easily understand that it is actually the broadening of the ideological spectrum. This means that Turkey would stay the course far into the future.
* * *
The centuries of inter-ethnic coexistence have given Turkey its very special character. It is not Europe, it is not Asia; it is just Turkey – that is the only way it should be defined. It is unique and it cannot be bracketed for comparison.
The Turkish economy is strong and there is the room to build considerably more on the robust economic base. The Turkish Lira remains vigorous in the face of all kinds of shocks. However, the value of Turkey cannot be measures by quantifying its economy.
The immediate feelings one gets after arriving in Turkey is warmth and compassion. For a foreigner, it is comradeship without intrusion, and togetherness without the loss of privacy. Among themselves the Turkish people instinctively serve as a safety net in times of crisis, no matter whether it is an individual or a national crisis. For the foreigners, the Turkish people treat them as their own when the situation demands, but on the whole just provide them the space to enjoy their stay in Turkey.
The Turkish people are the real strength of Turkey.
* * *
The volatility and uncertainty of the today’s world is guiding the adjustments in the internal and external policies of Turkey.
Had Turkey taken selfish and self-centred decisions during the past few decades, it would have been easy to gain material advantages in so many different ways. However, that is not how Turkey works.
It is not in the nature of the Turkish people to throw their friends and allies under the bus for the sake of their own short-term benefits.
As the recent history shows, Turkey opts for the solutions that would benefit all and in doing so has repeatedly offered human and material sacrifices whenever necessary.
When the trials and tribulations of today are over, Turkey will emerge stronger than ever.
As we know, the year 2021 has been declared as the year of Peace and Trust by the United Nations on the proposal of Turkmenistan.
Let’s hope that by 2021 Turkey manages to free itself from all kinds of distractions. /// nCa, 30 October 2019