NO. 3

WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Cavusoglu, January 3, 2022, according to a readout attributable to State Department Spokesperson Ned Price:

“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu discussed the importance of continued coordination regarding the threat of Russian escalation in Ukraine. They also discussed issues related to the Horn of Africa, Turkey’s appointment of a Special Envoy to discuss the process of normalization with Armenia, and opportunities to deepen cooperation bilaterally and as NATO Allies to address areas of mutual concern.”

Russian Escalation in Ukraine

While it is understandable the United States would want to communicate with Turkey regarding Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, Secretary Blinken should understand that Russia’s irredentist, provocative actions mirror those of Turkey. Russia’s territorial ambitions vis-a-vis Ukraine is no different than Turkey’s territorial desires as it pertains to Cyprus. Turkey illegally invaded Cyprus in 1974, has engaged in an illegal military occupation for 48 years, and currently expresses a desire for a “two-state” solution regarding Cyprus.

Furthermore, AHI urges Secretary Blinken not to view Turkey through an anachronistic Cold War perspective in which Turkey had been viewed as a Western-oriented ally acting as a bulwark against Soviet (Russian) expansionism. Such thinking has no relevance to today’s geo-political reality. Unlike during the Cold War, Turkey is currently a purveyor of Russian influence, most notably through its acquisition of Russian S-400 systems, which threatens NATO cohesion, and for which the United States has imposed sanctions pursuant to Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Furthermore, Turkey is undermining Europe by promoting its dependence on Russian energy through its TurkStream pipeline, a great concern in light of Nord Stream 2.

On the Horn of Africa

Turkey has been a malign influence in the horn of Africa, including promoting Islamic extremism in the region. Turkey views the Horn of Africa through the lens of its neo-Ottoman ambitions and has involved itself in exacerbating conflicts in the region, such as Ethiopia. In fact, U.S. authorities have already expressed concerns about drone sales to Ethiopia. AHI commends U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for highlighting Turkey’s malign activities in Africa.

Normalization with Armenia

While Secretary Blinken should encourage Turkey to improve relations with Armenia and cease its hostility towards Armenia, the Administration must ensure that Turkey is genuine in its rapprochement and not engaged in a publicity stunt. Should Turkey lay out unreasonable demands for normalization, the Administration and the international community should not pressure Armenia to accept such a deal. Turkey’s appointment of Ambassador Serdar Kılıç, Turkey’s former ambassador to the United States who oversaw the Sheridan Circle incident, send a dubious message. The incident involved President Erdogan’s bodyguards who assaulted American citizens, including those of the Armenian diaspora, who were protesting peacefully in Washington, D.C.

“The United States’ engagement with Turkey on these pressing diplomatic matters is miscalculation on the part of the State Department,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said. “Although Turkey is a NATO ally, Turkey is not a problem-solving ally. Reaching out to Turkey to address areas of concern, when in fact, Turkey is the root cause of malign influence in the geopolitically critical Eastern Mediterranean; not to mention the perpetrator of many of the problem areas discussed during the call, presents a double-standard to the diplomatic community.”

“The United States should be well aware that Turkey’s countless violations of the sovereignty of Greece and of the Republic of Cyprus, its ongoing violations of religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, its abysmal human rights record, and overall disregard for the rule of law and international norms, makes Turkey unfit to address such matters,” Larigakis added.