International prestige

While the expected end of governing AK Party is getting closer and closer – the Constitutional Court will start discussing the closure case against the party on July 28 – the party’s leaders on the international scene act like it’s business as usual. Well, what else can they do? Very carefully, a tiny little beginning has been made in trying to restore ties with neighbouring Armenia, and recently Prime Minister Erdogan visited the capital of Turkey’s other neighbour with which relations are not too good (Baghdad), and slowly slowly talks are beginning to find a solution to divided Cyprus. Behind the scenes, Turkish diplomats contribute to finding a solution to international tensions over Syria, Iran, and Israel and the Palestinian Territories. And meanwhile, the minister of foreign affairs tries to get Turkey a seat on the UN Security Council. If Erdogan goes on like this, as Turkish diplomats whsipered this week on their annual meeting in Ankara, Erdogan might be a candidate for a Nobel Peace Prize later this year.
Now whether you think that’s hilarious or not, the fact is that Erdogan’s hands are tied domestically, so he can use some extra international prestige. That would be unlikely to prevent his party being closed down, but would maybe add international prestige to him and his party and a close of AKP would raise mroe international indignation. And that would of course also have benefits domestically – if the AKP is closed, they could rise again with another name and attract some of their predecessor’s prestige. A weird and complicated game, that’s what it is. A game that has so far resulted in talks being held between Turkey and Armenia, Turkey and (indirectly) the government in northern Iraq, and between Turkish and Greek Cypriots. Whatever political game is behind all of this, (a matter on which, of course, I can only speculate), optimistic girl that I am, I think: who knows, this might lead to a bit more peace in the world, and that, dear reader, has never hurt anybody.