After Zardari’s visit to Ankara

by Hasan Kanbolat, h.kanbolat@todayszaman.com
Today's Zaman, published on 19 April 2011.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari was in Ankara last week for an official visit, from April 11-14. Zerdari’s visit was overshadowed by Turkish domestic politics because it coincided with the deadline for political parties to submit their deputy candidate lists to the Supreme Election Board (YSK). Even though it did not attract a lot of public attention, the meeting was very important for economic and security relations between the two countries. It is believed Zardari is searching for an opportunity to establish cooperation with Ankara in the fields of economy and security. Political relations between Turkey and Pakistan are tight but the brotherhood in politics has been reflected onto cultural, social and economic relations. Turkey and Pakistan exhibit friendship only in historical relations, during high level political contacts and through solidarity at international organizations when discussing political topics that concern both countries. Trilateral summits that have been going on between Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan since 2007 have been successful. In March, the three countries conducted a joint military exercise in İstanbul. In October, the three countries will hold a joint natural disaster drill. But the success in political ties does not manifest in other ties. Turkish and Pakistani people, intellectuals and students don’t know each other very well. Scholarship programs and exchange student and teacher programs between the two countries are insufficient. There are no funds or ventures to bring intellectuals, artists and representatives from universities and think tanks together and to organize joint meetings. But in regions that fall outside of Turkey’s realm of influence like Africa and Asia, where Pakistan is quite active, Turks and Pakistanis have a strong solidarity. In these places, Pakistanis provide help and support to Turks. Economic relations are also quite weak between Turkey and Pakistan. The relations do not reflect the strength of the two nations and their economy. Trade volume between Turkey and Pakistan was $990 million in 2010 (Turkey’s export figure is $240 million, import is $750 million). President Abdullah Gül said he wanted to increase the trade volume between the two countries to $2 billion in 2012. Zardari held several meetings in Ankara to consolidate economic cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan. He called on Turkish investors to invest in Pakistan to help the country overcome economic troubles. The flood disaster in Pakistan caused its economic problems to multiply and senior Pakistani officials have been searching for economic support. Steps have been taken to encourage and facilitate foreign investment in Pakistan. But there are two obstacles to improving economic relations between the two countries. The first is the bureaucracy in Pakistan. The second is the failure to diversify and reduce the cost of transportation between the countries. For this reason new initiatives to improve transportation are expected. Gül’s proposal to construct a railway between Islamabad and İstanbul is considered to be an important step in transporting commercial goods from Pakistan to Europe. Gül presented the highest state medal of Turkey to Zardari on April 13 and hosted a dinner in his honor, which was accompanied by an amazing performance by Sufi music artist Mercan Dede and his friends. It’s not hard to see the wisdom of Presidential Secretary-General Mustafa İsen at play in these relations. It’s important to know that Turkey’s Pakistan delegation consists of young and dynamic diplomats and that these diplomats are the ones ensuring dynamism in bilateral relations. Turkey’s Ambassador to Pakistan Babur Hızlan, Turkish Foreign Ministry South Asia deputy director and new Ambassador to India Burak Akçapar and Korkut Güngen, the head of a section in the Foreign Affairs Ministery are among the first Turkish diplomats who come to mind in improving relations between the two countries. Let me conclude this article on Zardari’s visit with his own words: “There is an expression in Pakistan. Even though one plus one makes two, when Turkey and Pakistan come together it makes 11. In other words, Turkey and Pakistan are two sister countries.”