Tag: Namik Tan

  • Turkey-US Ties ‘Closer Than Ever’ Says Turkish Ambassador Tan

    Turkey-US Ties ‘Closer Than Ever’ Says Turkish Ambassador Tan

    By: Semih Idiz for Al-Monitor Turkey Pulse. posted on January 8.
    U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu attend a news conference
    US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu attend a news conference after their meeting in Istanbul August 11, 2012. (photo by REUTERS/Osman Orsal)

    The Pew Research Center indicates that Turks are still among the world champions in anti-Americanism. Pew’s “Global Attitude Project” for 2012 showed that 72% of Turks rated the US unfavorably, while only 15% rated it favorably. Only Pakistan and Jordan, out of a list of 20 countries, proved worse than Turkey in this respect.

    About This Article

    Summary :

    Semih Idiz writes that Ankara is pleased with the nomination of Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense and US-Turkish relations are stronger than ever, despite some friction over Turkish trade with Iran.

    Author: Semih Idiz
    posted on : January 8 2013

    It’s easy to conclude then that there is little hope for Turkish-US ties to develop further, even if they have maintained their military alliance for the sake of practical reasons. And yet the two countries are seen to be enjoying one of the best periods ever in their bilateral ties, according to Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, Namik Tan.

    “During this last period we have come closer than ever in Turkish-American relations. Our ties have broadened, diversified and deepened. There is a very close personal relationship between our leaders,” Tan said in an interview with Hurriyet earlier this week.

    Adding that the re-election of President Barack Obama provided “a second window of opportunity” for ties, Tan said, “We do not have to rediscover each other.” He also noted that “a country that does not maintain good ties with America will fall back in the international arena in terms of its interests.”

    This is a far cry from the days of President George W. Bush, when Turkey angered Washington in March 2003, after its parliament failed to endorse a bill that would have enabled US forces to invade Iraq from Turkish territory.

    Turkish public opinion in turn, went ballistic when it emerged that US marines, with little love lost for Turkey due to the decision by its parliament a few months earlier, arrested 11 members of the Turkish armed forces in a raid on their headquarters in the Northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah in July 2003.

    The fact that Turkish soldiers were manhandled and treated like Iraqi insurgents, with sacks over their heads — resulting in the whole affair being known as the “Sack Incident” in Turkey — turned into a matter of national honor, putting a great strain on ties with Washington.

    Those arrested — and subsequently released after the outcry in Turkey — were accused of planning to create turmoil in the region by setting off car bombs and assassinating Kurdish officials. These charges were strongly denied by Ankara, and the whole incident still remains shrouded in mystery.

    Given that the military alliance between the two countries goes back half a century, ties were not severed over this incident. But the atmosphere remained frosty, to say the least, and worsened after Washington’s “neocons” started accusing Turkey of moving toward radical Islam under the Justice and Development Party.

    Things started improving following Barack Obama’s election in November 2008, especially after he made one of his first overseas visits to Turkey in April 2009, during which he was warmly greeted by the government and the Turkish parliament, which he addressed.

    In the meantime, developments in the Middle East, especially after the outbreak of the Arab Spring, further cemented this relationship, leading to the current state of affairs that Ambassador Tan is so cheerful about.

    Ankara is also happy today about President Obama’s choice of John Kerry for Secretary of State and Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense. Both are known to have a keen awareness of Turkey’s growing regional and global importance. Hagel is especially appreciated for his highly laudatory remarks in the past on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, whose legacy he believes should be taught in US schools.

    Ankara has also noted Hagel’s approach to the 1915 massacre of Armenians under the Ottomans, which many in the US Congress have tried repeatedly to have listed as “genocide,” a possibility that risks poisoning US-Turkish ties like no other issue.

    His “leave history to the historians” attitude on this matter is in tune with the official Turkish thinking. Neither has his past criticism of Israel gone unnoticed in Ankara, which is currently seriously at odds with Israel over the Palestinian issue.

    None of this means, however, there are no points of contention between Ankara and Washington. Ambassador Tan is the first to admit this, although he is quick to point out that these differences are not substantive, but merely stem from a different prioritization of issues important to both countries.

    On Syria, for example, the sides have established close coordination and their approaches to the crisis are almost identical. Ankara, nevertheless, expects Washington to be more active in trying to topple the Bashar al-Assad regime. This, however, does not mean Turkey is looking for a US-led military intervention in Syria, as Tan explained to Hurriyet, which makes the question of what it is that Ankara expects even more intriguing.

    Differences on Iraq, however, are more apparent. Washington worries that Turkey’s increasingly bad relations with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, and rapidly developing economic and political ties with the Kurdish Regional Government, taking place over Baghdad’s head, risk dividing Iraq. Tan, however, is quick to respond to this charge.

    “So what are their [the US’] companies, which number over 40, doing there? Any company you can think of is there, but when it comes to my companies, they should not be. This is not a convincing approach.”

    According to press reports, Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglu, the undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, is expected in Washington soon for talks with his US counterpart, William Burns, aimed at, among other things, ironing out differences over Iraq.

    Then, there is the question of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Turkey acknowledges it is getting assistance from the US against this group, which both countries designate as terrorist, especially in terms of real-time intelligence, but insists that this is not enough. It wants more direct involvement by American forces against this group lodged in the mountains of Northern Iraq, which Washington has been reluctant to do.

    In the meantime, US Ambassador to Ankara Francis Riccardione has taken issue on more than one occasion with repeated claims by Turkish officials that his country is not doing enough against PKK terrorism. Indicating that Washington is giving far more assistance than it is credited with, Riccardione has openly expressed annoyance over these Turkish claims.

    Finally, there is the matter of Turkish-Israeli ties, with Ankara expressing anger over US support for Israel, especially in the May 2010 incident involving the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship that was part of an international aid flotilla headed for besieged Gaza when it was boarded by Israeli forces, who killed nine Turkish activists, claiming they were armed and aggressive.

    Washington has been pressuring Turkey to normalize ties with Israel, which Ankara has refused to do until that country apologizes for the Mavi Marmara raid, compensates the families of the deceased and lifts the siege on Gaza, none of which has happened yet.

    Developments in the Middle East, however, are ensuring that these as well as other similar differences, including the issue of Turkey’s trade with Iran, do not overshadow military and political ties between Ankara and Washington, which appear set to deepen even further, despite the rampant anti-Americanism in Turkey.

    Semih İdiz is a contributing writer for Al-Monitor’s Turkey Pulse. A journalist who has been covering diplomacy and foreign-policy issues for major Turkish newspapers for 30 years, his opinion pieces can be followed in the English-language Hurriyet Daily News. His articles have been published in The Financial Times, The Times, Mediterranean Quarterly and Foreign Policy magazine, and he is a frequent contributor to BBC World, VOA, NPR, Deutche Welle, various Israeli media organizations and Al Jazeera.

    Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2013/01/turkey-chuck-hagel.html#ixzz2HV8R0I00
  • Turkey tempts the hungry EU

    Turkey tempts the hungry EU

    Let’s talk Turkey about the European Union.

    tanTurkey lies just to the east of Greece. But there are a few things, besides the Aegean Sea that separate the two countries.

    Turkey’s economy is growing; Greece’s — as the world is well aware — isn’t. Greece is an almost entirely Christian nation, while Turkey is 99 percent Muslim.

    And Greece is a member of the EU, at least for the time being. Turkey has long wanted to join.

    The stars may be aligning on that last matter. Turkey has taken advantage of the turmoil in the EU to again plead its case, and it might be getting a better reception this time.

    Last Friday, I spoke with Namik Tan, Turkey’s ambassador to the US, who told me that his country has increased its efforts to join the EU, even as other nations are thinking about leaving or are being threatened with expulsion.

    Tan said the matter was brought up during the G8 economic conference in Chicago in May. “This is not an overnight thing,” said Tan. “But his first reaction was positive.”

    Tan is referring to Francois Hollande, the recently elected president of France. Nicolas Sarkozy, the previous French president who was ousted in May, was thought to be a major hurdle in the way of Turkey’s EU admission.

    Like everywhere else, debt levels in Turkey are high, but the country’s economy is growing. And the country, the ambassador says, is getting its finances straightened out. “We are committed to our own reform process,” Tan said.

    The ambassador says Turkey has recently added 1.5 million jobs, or as many as the EU has lost.

    “The European Union will never achieve its end until it puts some diversity into the process,” said Tan. “And there is only one country that can do that, and it is Turkey.”

    The fact that Turkey is mostly Eurasian, with the majority of its land in Western Asia, does present a bit of a geographic dilemma. The E in EU, after all, does stand for Europe. And the fact that Turkey’s people are Muslim was rumored to be a major cause for concern in France.

    But Turkey is also a major trading partner with the EU and can help with the region’s problems.

    Or, as Tan puts it, “We will not take from the current cake. We will make the cake bigger.”

    I think what the ambassador means is that Turkey — unlike many current EU members — won’t come into the economic pact looking for a handout.

    This reminds me of some of the country clubs located near my house. Four years ago, I wouldn’t have been good enough — or rich enough — to join.

    Nowadays, the standards have suddenly changed.

    I might not yet be like Tiger Woods in his glory days to these clubs, but I’m not Rodney Dangerfield, either.

    Turkey, despite its downside, is probably looking pretty juicy right now to the starving EU.

    via Turkey tempts the hungry EU – NYPOST.com.

  • Women’s Rights in Turkey – NYTimes.com

    Women’s Rights in Turkey – NYTimes.com

    Turkey Retreat on Womens RightsRe “In Turkey, Fears of a Retreat on Women’s Rights” (news article, April 29): It is disappointing to read such a one-sided account on the state of women’s rights in Turkey given the substantial efforts to achieve equality and security for millions of women.

    Our government has not only adopted far-reaching legislation that strengthens the authorities’ ability to prevent and prosecute violence against women, but it has also taken steps to ensure full implementation of these laws.

    We have intensified the training of law enforcement, health, judicial and other public officials, held numerous symposia and workshops, and launched a broad public education program to raise awareness about women’s issues in general and violence against women in particular.

    Turkey has also signed on to and followed through on international conventions dealing with women’s rights and has been conducting joint projects with regional and international institutions such as the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe.

    To be sure, in Turkey, as in so many nations, there is much work to do when it comes to the challenge of women’s empowerment and gender equality. But your article missed the real story: we fully recognize this challenge, and we’re tackling it aggressively.

    NAMIK TAN

    Ambassador of Turkey

    Washington, April 30, 2012

    via Women’s Rights in Turkey – NYTimes.com.

  • TCA, ATAA and Members of Congress Mark  60th Anniversary of Turkey’s NATO Membership

    TCA, ATAA and Members of Congress Mark 60th Anniversary of Turkey’s NATO Membership

    The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) hosted twelve Members of Congress, Turkey’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Namik Tan, and dozens of congressional staffers at a breakfast reception to mark the 60th anniversary of Turkey’s NATO membership.

    In his remarks at the event, Ambassador Tan highlighted Turkey’s crucial role in NATO’s success and underscored that a strong U.S.-Turkey relationship based on shared values of “democracy, human rights, and the rule of law” has helped NATO maintain stability despite continual global challenges.

    Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ken.), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans (Turkish Caucus), also highlighted the importance of a vibrant U.S.-Turkey relationship in their opening remarks. “Turkey is one of our key allies, a country of great culture and cultural history,” stated Rep. Cohen.

    Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs praised TCA for its work in building cultural and economic ties. In her remarks, she stated that too many Americans are not aware of the importance of this relationship and added that she cherishes every opportunity to bring to light the strength and depth of the U.S.-Turkish ties.

    ataa3

    ATAA Past President Gunay Evinch, Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ken.), Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.),
    Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.), Ambassador Namik Tan, and TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy

  • Materials likely destined for Iran nuclear program seized (video)

    Materials likely destined for Iran nuclear program seized (video)

    Turkey is determined to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon, Namik Tan, Turkey’s ambassador to the US, said Thursday. It intercepted materials Iran might have used to advance its nuclear program, he says.

    By Howard LaFranchi, Staff writer / December 8, 2011

    1208 monitor breakfast turkey Namik Tan full 380

    Turkish Ambassador to the US Namik Tan spoke to reporters at a Monitor-hosted breakfast on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

    Michael Bonfigli /The Christian Science Monitor

    Turkey has intercepted materials destined for Iran that could have been used to advance Tehran’s nuclear program, Turkey’s ambassador to Washington said Thursday.

    The Turkish official, Namik Tan, said Turkey, as Iran’s neighbor, is perhaps more determined than other more distant countries to keep Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon, and he suggested that Turkish-Iranian relations are deteriorating over the nuclear issue.

    “Some other countries have tried to transfer certain goods which would help Iran’s nuclear program, and we have stopped them,” Ambassador Tan said at a Monitor breakfast gathering of reporters.

    Tan refused to divulge any other information about the interception, including what the materials were, when it happened, and the country of origin, but he insisted that Turkey would never accept the existence of a nuclear bomb next door in Iran. Alluding to one line of thinking in Washington – that the international community will ultimately fail to stop Tehran’s progress and so the real objective becomes containing a nuclear Iran – Tan said Turkey would never resign itself to an Iranian bomb.

    “Even if you come to terms with a nuclear Iran, we will be against it,” he said.

    Turkish officials this year have acknowledged intercepting Iranian planes and trucks suspected of transporting arms to Syria, but US officials have repeatedly expressed concerns about Turkey serving as a conduit for Iran to procure equipment for its nuclar program – especially with bilateral trade soaring.

    Ankara’s representative to Washington also confirmed that the Turkish government is seeking military equipment including drones from Washington, as part of an effort to enhance its border defenses.

    Turkey’s robust trade relations with Iran have been hurt recently by actions on the Iranian side, Tan suggested. That comment comes amid a boom in Turkish-Iranian trade, but also in the aftermath of recent warnings out of Tehran that did not go down well in Ankara.

    Tehran recently warned Turkey that bilateral trade will suffer if Turkey does not alter a number of its policies, including what Iran sees as Turkish obedience to US demands. Trade between the two nations, at $10 billion in 2010, is estimated to reach $30 billion by 2016 absent any setback in relations.

    via Turkey: Materials likely destined for Iran nuclear program seized (video) – CSMonitor.com.

  • Ambassador from Turkey: Who is Namik Tan?

    Ambassador from Turkey: Who is Namik Tan?

    eouploader.66f8a9db 5bfb 4eb6 91c6 27b6ce88aa9e.1.dataNamik Tan has served as Turkey’s ambassador to the United States since February 2010.

    Born in 1956 in Mardin, Tan graduated from the University of Ankara with a law degree.

    He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982 and worked in the Department of Maritime Affairs. His first overseas posting took him to Moscow, Russia, where he was stationed from 1984-1987.

    Tan was then sent to the Turkish embassy in the United Arab Emirates (1987-1989), before returning home to serve in the Personnel Department (1989-1990) and the office of the president (1990-1991).

    He first came to the United States in 1991 to serve in the Turkish embassy in Washington, DC. He remained until 1995, when he returned to Turkey to serve in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (1995-1996), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of USA, Canada and Japan (1995), as head of section in the Department of USA, Pacific and Far East (1996), and chief of cabinet to the minister (1996-1997).

    He turned to Washington in 1997 and remained at the Turkish embassy until 2001.

    Upon his return to Turkey, he first served as head of the Department for the Americas, and then was named head of the Information Department in 2002.

    He went on to serve as the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2007. During this period he was involved in one awkward incident relating to the United States. On June 14, 2006, Tan told reporters that Turkey took no part in the Bush administration’s extraordinary rendition program. However, a cable from the U.S. Embassy in Turkey, written just six days earlier and later released by WikiLeaks, stated that the Turkish military had, for four years, allowed the CIA to use Incirlik military airport as a refueling stop for prisoner transport flights as part of “Operation Fundamental Justice.”

    Tan’s first ambassadorship was to Israel (2007-2009).

    Before becoming ambassador to the U.S., Tan was deputy undersecretary of bilateral political affairs and public diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2009-2010).

    Shortly after taking over as ambassador to Washington, Tan was temporarily recalled to Istanbul for consultations in response to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee resolution recognizing the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide.

    Tan and his wife, Fügen, have two children.

    via AllGov – News – Ambassador from Turkey: Who is Namik Tan?.