IRAN SHOULD WAIT FOR IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

TEHRAN 10 Nov. (IPS)

An Iranian analyst of Turkish affairs says the fact the Turkish Justice and Development Party AKP has Islamic roots dos not provide a guarantee that relations between Tehran and Ankara will be immediately promoted”.

"Any promotion in mutual ties between Iran and Turkey depends on the future steps the AKP will take”, Mr. Mohammad Ali Koozehgar, the Head of the Iran-Turkish Friendship Group of the Majles told the pro-conservative, English-language “Tehran Times”.

The Islam-based, but modern-looking Justice and Development Party swept to power last week in the Turkish Parliamentary elections, securing a winning majority at the 550 seat Turkish parliament.

Though AKP’s victory was expected, but the defeat of almost all other traditional parties created the biggest surprise.

Explaining the phenomenong, Mr. Reza Shoja’i, an Iranian lawyer based in Istanbul said tired of the inter-parties and bickering between Turkish historical politicians, the Turkish electors wanted to teach them a lesson by voting massively for the AKP.

“The overwhelming victory of the AKP in last week's parliamentary elections came as a complete surprise. Whether the success of the Islamists in the Turkish elections will benefit Western or Islamic states will depend on the Party's next move”, he told Tehran Times.

Observing that “a key policy” of Tehran has been to expand ties with all nations, particularly neighbouring countries, Mr. Koozehgar, a reformist MM (Member of the Majles) said however Tehran would “certainly welcome the establishment of an Islamic government in Turkey”.

Since the victory of the Islamic revolution in 1979, Tehran and Ankara maintain difficult, but working relations, with Turkey accusing the Islamic Republic of harbouring Kurdish members of the Turkish Kudish separatist movement PKK and providing support and money to Turkish fundamentalist groups, and Iran expressing its anger at the military and intelligence pact signed between Turkey and Israel.

Replying to a question on how he expected Ankara's relations with Western states would move in view of the rise to power of an Islamist government in Turkey, the MM said the West will definitely wait to see what the next steps the victorious government would take.

“The victory of Islamists may never seem a positive development to the Western states and may undermine Ankara's efforts to join the European Union, but what is currently important is the behaviour and the performance of the Islamists after establishing a new government in Turkey”, he said.

"Of course, the Turkish Islamists have so far been able to send positive messages to the world after winning the national elections, and it seems that the AKP is trying to portray a good and positive image of Islam to the world. If they succeed in their efforts in that direction, they will definitely be able to improve the world's appreciation of Islam", the official news agency IRNA quoted Mr. Koozehgar as having told the daily.

Mr. Tayyeb Erdogan, the leader of the AKP, is under Judicial investigation for harsh remarks made when he was Mayor of Istanbul, Turkish largest populated city.

On the AKP's apparent unwillingness to be portrayed as an Islamist party, the lawmaker opined that the fact that the Turkish Islamists had abandoned fundamentalism manifests a decision dictated by their interests.

"The Islamist AKP can never sacrifice its own benefits for the sake of Muslim fundamentalists", Mr. Koozehgar noted, adding that the Party tries to present a moderate and logical image of Islam to the world "so as to attain its desired goals".

"Experience has shown that the Turkish army never tolerates even moderate Islamists, and this has been the problem of all Islamic governments that have so far been established in that country", he said in response to a question on the new Turkish government's survival from a possible military coup by the Turkish Army.

However, Mr. Erdogan immediately assured that the new government would respect all engagements taken by former prime minister, Mr. Bulent Ecevit, including Turkish effort to enter the European Community, keeping close ties with both Washington and Israel and remaining inside NATO.

“It seems that the AKP should try to forge a cooperation with their secularist opponents so as to prevent the army from seeking to overthrow the new government. Turkish Islamists must exercise prudence on the course of action they should take so that they would not meet the same fate as their opponents”, he cautioned.

Koozehgar said that the extent to which the new government will be able to attain its objectives depends on three factors:
First, their performance and how the world's major economic
powers will evaluate it.
Secondly, the reaction of their internal enemies to their victory in the elections.
And, finally, whether the Turkey's neighbours, Western states and the international community would boycott the Turkish new government or will wait to see what programs it intends to pursue. ENDS AKP AND IRAN 101102