AUC Caravan

By Gaser El Safty and Nourhan El Abbassy

Just one day after Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu gave a speech stressing the importance of strengthening international relations, the Turkish ambassador was recalled to Washignton D.C. as a response to a U.S. resolution passed by a congressional committee.

The resolution requires President Obama to use the term “genocide” when describing the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I. Armenians claim that more than one-million of its people were systematically killed during that time period, while Turks insist that both Armenians and Turks perished as a result of the war.

In light of shifting international relations, Davutoğlu delivered his lecture titled ‘Turkish Policies and Peace in the Middle East,’ which addressed Turkey’s foreign policies, and the future of Middle Eastern politics and stability.

The lecture, which took place on March 3rd, was the first in a series inaugurating the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP). After a brief introduction by Nabil Fahmy, the dean of GAPP, and a speech by President David Arnold, Davutoğlu outlined his vision for a new Middle East.

  “In the Middle East, we need an approach that is not crisis oriented, but vision oriented,” Davutoğlu stated. 

Ankara, the Turkish capital, warned that relations between itself and Washington, and the ongoing reconciliation process between itself and Armenia, could be damaged if the bill passed, while Turkey maintained that its ambassador, Namik Tan, would not return unless Congress clarifies the resolution.

He described the region as a mosaic constructed of multi-cultural, multi-sectarian, and multi-religious societies, which is often the cause of civil conflicts. According to Davutoğlu, clashes between Shiaa and Sunni Muslims, Christians and Muslims, and Palestinians and Israel, highlight the importance of unity and peace amongst Middle East countries.

“The future of our region will be determined by all the countries and all the communities living here,” he said.

The minister emphasized Turkey’s position as a crossroad country between the East and the West, as member of G20 and the United Nations, and an observer in the Latin American Summit.

He added that Turkey has always played a vital role in the transformation of the Middle East. Today, Turkey is officially determined to establishing and strengthening political relations with its neighbors, which Davutoğlu says is evident in its recent talks with Israel, Syria and Iraq.

When addressing Turkish-Israel relations, Davutoğlu acknowledged the regional tensions caused by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He stated that Turkey’s new diplomatic approach is a means to mediating conflicts to bring about solutions.

“We don’t see enemies, we see potential partners,” he asserted. “We minimize risk and maximize interest.”

Despite differences between theory and practical application, highlighted in ambassador Tan’s recent recall, students agree that the ideals expressed by Davutoğlu should be adopted.

“His principles can’t be debated,” said Mahmoud El Shazly, a business administration junior. “But I wish the questions were given more time and better answers.”

Professor and associate dean of GAPP Laila El Baradei agreed with El Shazly, claiming that “his answers were too diplomatic, but what can you expect out of a foreign minister?”

“The lecture was very interesting and shed a lot of light on issues where Egyptians are not necessarily very familiar with,” Ahmed Yousef, a political science junior, said. “We are key players in the region and it’s our job to at least be educated enough about what’s going on around us.”

 El Baradei called the lecture important for AUC and for anyone interested in international relations, emphasizing that Turkey “achieved a lot in a relatively short period of time,” and that Egyptians “need to know and research the Turkish experience.”

Davutoğlu highlighted the importance behind understanding the present and shaping the future for AUC students because they live in a country with a leading role in regional politics, claiming that Turkey and Egypt “can accomplish a lot together.”

He encouraged students to embrace the mission of the new school of GAPP, which according to Nabil Fahmy, “aims to prepare its students to take the lead in shaping the future of their nation and the world at large.”

“We are a part of that which is happening,” agreed Naila Hamdy, professor and chair of the journalism and mass communication department.

“It is our responsibility to change, we need a new mentality. I hope your generation would be much more broad-minded to solve such problems,” said Davutoğlu.

Davutoğlu is a Turkish political scientist, an academic and ambassador. He was named Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Turkey in May 2009, after being the chief advisor to the Turkish Prime Minister. Moreover, he was one of the major actors during the diplomatic talks in 2008 regarding the Gaza crisis. He visited Egypt last week for a meeting with the Arab League and the inauguration of the Turkish Cultural Centre in Cairo.