Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a television interview, ahead of his India visit, had called for a multilateral dialogue on the boiling issue of Kashmir and had expressed his “desire” to mediate between India and Pakistan to solve the Kashmir imbroglio. It is difficult to understand the logic behind Erdogan’s take on Kashmir.
Erdogan’s remarks highlight his poor understanding of history of countries other than Turkey. His comments are also a pathetic reflection on his team of advisors, if any, which seems to be in the dark itself on the issue or has inadequately briefed its President ahead of a visit to the largest and strongest democracy in the world — India. Significantly, it is Erdogan’s first visit to any foreign country after winning his country’s referendum on April 16. It is known that Pakistan considers Turkey a “friend”, and the beheading of two Indian brave soldiers in Poonch, on the day Erdogan met PM Narendra Modi, may not be coincidental.
In fact, the ideologies of Turkey and Pakistan are almost similar. Though Erdogan “wants” both India and Pakistan to be NSG members, it is no secret that when it comes to choosing between the two, he is bound to be strongly on the side of Islamabad. One must not forget Turkey’s opposition to India’s NSG membership bid last year. Moreover, Erdogan himself is viewed as a dictatorial leader of a country which is besieged by problems and conflicts. The demand for Kurdistan from Turkey is an age old problem — existing ever since Turkey was born in 1978. Turkish leaders have always had a running feud with Kurd insurgent groups. The Kurdish Hezbollah, and its Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), has bitterly fought the Turkish government over the decades.
There have been gross human right violations from the Turkish government on the Kurds like torture to civilians, destruction of villages, execution of commoners, arbitrary arrests of journalists. The Amnesty International, and other global human rights organisations, have reprimanded the Turkey government on occasions more than one for flexing its muscles on Kurds. Erdogan would do well to study the intricacies of the Kashmir issue and how Pakistan has converted Kashmir into its favourite hunting ground to settle scores over India. While New Delhi has politely rejected President Erdogan’s unsolicited offer and advise, it has to tread with caution while dealing with visiting dignitaries who are inimical to India’s known stand on Kashmir.
