Expert: Cooling of relations between Turkey and USA is temporary
By Nigar Abbasova
The recent straining in the relations between the United States and Turkey remains on top of political agenda.
The strategically critical U.S.-Turkey relationship became tense following the recent developments in Turkey and efforts of the Turkish authorities to crack down alleged coup plotters and sympathizers.
Extradition of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of implementing the campaign to overthrow the government in Turkey, is considered to be the main reason of the recent crisis in relations between the two NATO allies. Turkish government has repeatedly reiterated the demand for the extradition of US-based preacher. Nevertheless the U.S. government still reject to extradite Gulen.
Earlier Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told CNN Turk that it would be wrong to antagonize the relations between Turkey and the United States because of Fethullah Gülen, nevertheless any support of the U.S. government to the Gulen movement may deteriorate friendly relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, senior U.S. officials have recently said the request will be considered if Turkey submits legitimate evidence of Gulen's involvement.
Togrul Ismayil, political scientist, believes that the cooling of relations, which is currently observed between the two countries, is temporary and will soon come to nought.
"Staining of relations between the USA and Turkey is a temporary phenomenon," Ismayil, who is an associate professor of the Department of International Relations at the Ankara-based TOBB University of Economics and Technology told Trend.
“The two countries have their own interests, which may not coincide in some cases, but such developments are normal,” he added.
Ismayil stressed that Turkey is still of strategic interest for the USA, regardless all problems that currently exist between the two countries.
The United States and Turkey have a long history of alliance, partnership and cooperation.
Ankara is considered to be a critical American ally in the fight against the so-called Islamic State group operating in Iraq and Syria, both of which border Turkey. Incirlik Air Base, shared with the Turkish military, is used for U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State, thus being a key hub for airlift operations. The base plays a key role in military presence of the USA in the region and is heavily used in the air campaign against ISIS in Syria.
On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them.
However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people excluding the coup plotters and over 2,000 people were wounded.
Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.
Hours after the uprising began, the White House called on all parties in Turkey to support the democratically elected government of the country and avoid any violence or bloodshed. Turkish government also insists that coups and counter-revolutions are undesired occurrences and the complete opposite of democracies.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
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