Israel Matzav

AKP platform ignores Israel, blames Armenia for impasse

The platform of the AKP, Turkey's ruling party, for the upcoming elections, ignores Israel and blames Armenia for an impasse that has been reached in negotiations for Turkey and Armenia to reconcile their century-long differences.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose party is expected to win a third term in the upcoming June 12 elections, unveiled the manifesto, which Erdoğan called the AK Party's manifesto for 2023, on Saturday. The document summarizes strategy with respect to countries both in its neighborhood and beyond. But the document neglects to mention relations with Israel and ways to restore strained ties with the Jewish state. Relations between Turkey and Israel hit the lowest point ever last year after a lethal Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza to break Israel's naval blockade.

Eight Turks and one Turkish-American were killed by Israeli commandos during the raid. Turkey requests an official apology and compensation for families of the victims. Israel says its commandos acted in self-defense. The party’s manifesto, which includes its foreign policy vision, attaches importance to its growing relations with Middle Eastern countries and stresses ties with the US among its primary priorities, while failing to mention Israel.

So much for those who believe that the upcoming elections indicate that the AKP is moderating. As to Armenia, the Turks continue to eschew any responsibility for the genocide their great grandparents carried out nearly a century ago.

“Our position with respect to the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and genocide allegations is clear. The AK Party will not allow any solution not based on fairness and justice to be imposed on Turkey. With regard to reciprocal and simultaneous steps for a solution, Turkey will not refrain from doing what it needs to do,” the document notes.

Turkey and Armenia signed twin protocols in 2009 in Zurich to bury a century of hostilities, which also included opening of borders between Turkey and Armenia if their parliaments ratified the protocols. Faced with Azerbaijan’s fierce opposition, Turkey said Armenia needs to display a constructive position on Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks and pegged the ratification of the protocols to a possible breakthrough in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks.

Armenia suspended the process on April 22 last year and blamed Turkey for blocking the process.

Turkey is sounding more Islamist by the minute. After all, the Arab Muslim states are always pushing for 'just' solutions as a means for covering up their continued desire to wipe Israel out. What could go wrong?

Labels: AKP, Armenian genocide, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey, Turkish-Israeli relations

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:31 PM