Atlantic Council
March 09, 2010
Damon Wilson, vice president and director of the Atlantic Council Program on International Security, was interviewed by Leyla Tagiyeva of Azerbaijani news site News.Az about U.S.-Turkey relations in the context of NATO and its role in the Caucasus region.
Click here for the article “NATO ‘open to closer partnership with Azerbaijan”
The full text of the interview appears below
The Armenian diaspora creates many problems in US-Turkey cooperation, which can be seen by the decision of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Relations Committee to recognize as ‘genocide’ the killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Is the US able to withstand this pressure in cooperation with strategic partners such as Turkey?
US-Turkish cooperation is premised on common interests and shared values within the context of the NATO alliance. This means that while there can be ups and downs in the relationship, the strategic partnership is enduring and can withstand these political tensions.
May Turkey withdraw permission for the Incirlik air base after the decision of the US House committee?
Turkey is a sovereign nation and therefore has the right to determine whether and how US forces can operate on Turkish soil. As Turkey’s democratic ally, the US respects its decision-making. It is important to point out that Turkey’s interests are also served by the US presence at Incirlik.
May Turkey become closer to the Muslim world after the political problems with the US and Israel?
Turkey’s population is predominantly Muslim and therefore it is only natural that Turkey should seek to develop strong ties to the Muslim world. But this can be achieved without sacrificing its relations with the United States, or even Israel.
Turkey is an active member of NATO and a strategic ally of Azerbaijan. The Turkish authorities always say that they would be happy to see Azerbaijan in NATO. Is this realistic in the near future?
It is up to Baku to determine the nature of the relationship it seeks with NATO. The alliance remains open to closer partnership with Azerbaijan, and I encourage stronger ties.
Turkey has been playing a very active role on the Karabakh settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. There is even a Turkish initiative to establish a Stability and Cooperation Platform in the Caucasus. What kind of role can NATO play in the region, if one is possible after the war between Russia and Georgia?
NATO can be a stabilizing presence in the region through its members and its partners. Key to regional stability is the sovereignty of each nation in the region. Each state should be able to make decisions about its own future and the relations it seeks with other states and organizations. Stability will not result from recognizing a Russian sphere of privileged interests in the region.