/ world today news/ The pre-election intrigue in Turkey is gaining momentum. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan began sharply attacking the Americans, accusing them of interfering in the country’s internal affairs.
The US Ambassador to Ankara, Jeff Flake, immediately after the announcement of the start of the election campaign for the presidency of Turkey in the country, took the initiative and held the first meeting not with the President of the country, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but with the only opposition candidate, the leader of the People’s Republican Party (CHP ) Kemal Kulchdaroglu, which is in any way a violation of diplomatic protocol.
According to a statement from the US Embassy, Flake met with Kulçdaroğlu “as part of ongoing discussions with Turkish political parties on issues of mutual interest between the two countries.”
Erdogan exploded and lashed out at the American diplomat: “Aren’t you ashamed? Think with your head. You are an ambassador. Your interlocutor here is the president. Then what kind of face will you get up and ask for a meeting with the president? Our doors are closed to him, he can no longer enter. Why? Let him know his place.”
From now on, as it was officially stated, Flake will no longer be able to conduct diplomatic negotiations with the president and government of Turkey.
It should be noted that just the other day, the pro-government Turkish newspaper Yeni Şafak claimed that “the decision was made in Washington to keep Turkey close to the Western bloc and force it to join the sanctions against Russia.” This thesis seems to be confirmed by some events.
The US Senate, with the direct intervention of President Joe Biden, removed from the draft defense budget a proposal linking the sale of F-16s to Turkey with the fulfillment of certain conditions.
At the same time, Ambassador Flake positively assessed Turkey’s role in the Ukrainian conflict, calling it “rational, balanced and peaceful.”
Ankara also agreed to engage in dialogue with US Treasury Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Rosenberg, who visited Turkey to “negotiate anti-Russian sanctions”.
In this regard, Turkish experts began to talk about a possible change in Washington’s tactics regarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who “can be used as a strategic mediator on the West-Russia axis.” And suddenly an unexpected crash.
A protocol is a protocol, but the main problem is not in it. Before that, meetings of the head of the CHP took place with the US ambassador. Flake, immediately after his appointment, made his first visit to Kulçdaroglu.
US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake
This time, however, Erdogan understood that the diplomat had followed the new instructions received from Washington. The fact is that Biden, when appointing Republican Flake, a former senator from Arizona, as ambassador, broke some traditions of the US State Department.
Previously, Middle East experts were typically sent to this position from Washington. These were Flake’s predecessors, Ambassadors James Jeffrey and David Satterfield. They spoke Turkish well and had a trusting relationship with Erdogan.
Flake is not an expert in this field. But he is part of Biden’s inner circle, having served ten years in the House of Representatives and six years in the Senate.
Has a negative attitude towards former US President Donald Trump. Did not support his 2016 GOP presidential nomination, was one of Trump’s most vocal critics in the party during his tenure.
Literally from the first days of his activity in Ankara as ambassador, Flake was seen in behind-the-scenes political intrigues, demonstrating support for the opposition. To neutralize his influence, Erdogan appointed the experienced Murat Mercan as Turkish ambassador to the US, but nothing came of it.
The reasons why Washington began to rapidly change its position on Erdogan on the fly are not entirely clear, although there are many critical issues between Turkey and the United States. Apparently other problems are being solved now.
Judging by the latest Turkish public opinion polls conducted by the Internet Haber news portal, the ruling alliance may lose its majority in the new parliament after the May 14 elections.
The CHP has a rating of 27.1%, its ally – the Good Party – can win 10.5%, four other parties of the People’s Alliance can count on another 6%, which according to sociologists will allow them to get 43.6%. resulting in them being closer to winning a parliamentary majority.
Kalchdaroğlu, EPA/ERDEM SAHIN/TACC
But for now, the chances are accurately assessed, and the victory of the opposition itself is not predetermined, because everything changes very quickly in Turkey.
A lot will depend on how the election campaign goes. Erdogan is an experienced politician, a month before the elections he can, for example, announce several big projects and turn almost any situation into a plus.
Political practice in our country shows that voters’ preferences can change even in a week. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that there are strong anti-Western, even anti-American sentiments in Turkey, which are fueled by Erdogan.
Now he dealt a second blow to Flake. The first was from Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, who demanded that the US ambassador “remove his dirty hands” and not “interfere in the country’s internal affairs by instructing opposition leaders.”
In general, as the elections approach, the emotions in Turkish society and the political situation will go out of scale more than once. It is precisely with this that the sharpness with which Erdogan attacks the Americans is connected. Pre-election intrigue in the country gathers its usual speed in such cases.
Translation: SM
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