The Contact between PM Erdogan and President Assad
The single-party states in the Arabic world are well known didactic states. The Syrian Arab Republic is just of these. This neighbour state of Turkey is ruled by a secular one-party regime since 1948, after the victory of the independence movement against the French occupation. Nowadays this regime has the problem caused by the wide opportunities of the population to get more information about different other systems around the world and the changing agenda, during the process globalization. And we see, that the society of such states get annoyed when they see the democratizing states. A one party regime in Syria was of course no more acceptable for the Syrian society and a start of the revolts - after the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya - was inevitable.
Since they are leading the government, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are always in a relation. The last meeting of Assad and Erdogan was in Aleppo/Syria on the 06th February 2011 to talk about the bilateral relations and the High Level Strategic Cooperation Council. The last phone call of Erdogan to al-Assad was on 26th April 2011 because of the crackdowns against the protesters in Syria.
AK-Party government’s reaction to the uprisings in Syria
Foremost Erdogan and the Turkish ministers talked to the government of Syria in the time after the uprising in Syria. PM Erdogan said: “I told Assad clearly our worries and anxiety because of current developments. The current process is a disturbing process.” And he added: “There are many steps to be taken in Syria. We absolutely do not expect or want an undemocratic implementation and certainly not an authoritarian, totalitarian, patronizing structure.”1
President Abdullah Gül was talking about the Problems in Syria and said: “As a state we are always in touch with Syria. We are trying to support the realization of legitimate demands of the people. Of course, we are taking measures against the worst scenarios.”2 But we know that supporting the demands of the people is only possible in a multi-party democracy. So could we understand in Gül’s words that he wants Assad change the system into a multi-party system?
Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu said that an external intervention in Syria could have serious consequences. Davutoglu said: Syria is our neighbour. We wish that the Problems in Syria would get a solution. There is still a chance, but they must take that opportunity and not miss it.”3
So those are the quote of the three most notable chairs of Turkey. But why are they so worried about Syria? What makes Syria so important for Turkey?
Turkish-Syrian relations during the AK-Party Government
Turkey’s longest border is the Syrian border. These are in the southeast of Turkey from Hatay to Şırnak. In that way, the borders have played a big and strategic role in fighting against the terror organisation PKK. Today, although the PKK guerrillas do not deploy in Syria, destabilization always brings about different problem to the neighbours such as migration, and casualties.
Furthermore, the Syrian border is the opening gate to the Arab world and the Arab world is one of the most prominent export areas of the Turkish trade. High Level Strategic Cooperation Council is one of the significant examples of this. Turkey established a free trade zone with Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. What is more, the enmity between Syria and Turkey reflected on the Turkish- Arab relations to a significant extent in 1990s.
What is more, the “Zero Problem” policy of Turkey and Ahmet Davutoglu requires getting along with the neighbours. This policy is based on common historical, cultural, economic and political objectives. In this context, Turkish-Syrian relations are based on a long-standing history. Since the 8th century Turks and Syrian Arabs are in a relation. More than 13 centuries of cultural exchange influencing and impressing the mutual lifestyles is an important factor in Turkish-Syrian relations as well. Furthemore, we cannot exclude the common religion either. In both states the major religion is Islam, but there are Christians as well.
PM Erdogan has visited Syria eight times and sent three times a delegation since 2003. This is a sign of the level of the relations during the ruling period of AK-Party. These visits are gaining more importance due to the above-mentioned strategic, cultural, historical and religious factors. Working together in trade and anti-terror fighting is the most important profit of this relationship for both states.
Syria played a major role in the project and vision of Ahmet Davutoglu, FM of Turkey, particularly concerning the “Zero Problem” policy. There was a visa requirement between Turkey and Syria. But in the 18th September 20094 this requirement was lifted. For the society near to the borders of both states this decision was very relaxing. Not only was smuggling prevented with that decision but also a new and large trade arena was created. And of course decades of separations of various families, who had relatives in both countries, came an end. Thus the newly erupted revolts will influence all these issues and policies.
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by Yasin SALMAZ, SDE Intern