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Azerbaijan could serve as example to Turkey's western allies, envoy says (VIDEO) (INTERVIEW)

Türkiye Materials 2 August 2016 14:03 (UTC +04:00)
The military coup attempt that took place in Turkey on July 15, was very critical and defining moment in the country’s new history, Ismail Alper Coskun, Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan, said in an interview to Trend.
Azerbaijan could serve as example to Turkey's western allies, envoy says (VIDEO) (INTERVIEW)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.2

By Aygun Badalova, Elena Kosolapova - Trend:

The military coup attempt that took place in Turkey on July 15, was very critical and defining moment in the country’s new history, Ismail Alper Coskun, Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan, said in an interview to Trend.

“What took place is not a terrorist attempt that we attribute to the military as a whole, but it was a fraction within the Turkish military, which instigated this coup attempt at the behest of the Fetullah Gul terrorist organization. Therefore it was very critical and defining moment in our new history in the sense that it was an attack not particularly against a political party but at the statehood and at the well-being of Turkey and its society at large,” the ambassador said.

What extremely worrying about what took place on the 15-th of July, according to the ambassador, is the fact that this was the first time when Turkish military units opened fire at the Turkish population.

Amid this extremely worrying picture however, the ambassador underlined that with the strong reflex of Turkish population, very positive elements have been witnessed, in the sense that every person in the Turkish Republic irrespective of who they may have voted for, irrespective of what their ideological preferences may be, took to the streets, heard the call of the president, asking the population to stand up for their legitimate political leaders and for their legitimate constitutional order in the country.

“They went to the streets and they stood in the face of military power and they defended our democracy,” the ambassador said.

Azerbaijan’s support

The ambassador expressed deepest gratitude to the Azerbaijani government, officials, as well as to each and every Azerbaijani citizen, saying that from the very first evening the Azerbaijani population shared, as they always do, in agony, in worries, in excitement, as to what was going on in Turkey.

“Some came here, in front of the embassy together with Turkish citizens living in Azerbaijan, they displayed solidarity with Turkish democracy, they expressed their support for maintaining constitutional order in Turkey,” the ambassador said.

“So, the sensitivity that was displayed by the Azerbaijani government and population is deeply appreciated in Turkey. Azerbaijan stands on the side of what is right, in other words, it is standing on the side of our constitutional order, it is putting itself against a military coup attempt,” the ambassador said, adding that it is an exemplary attitude, which Turkey would wish to see more, particularly from its western allies and friends.

Solidarity of political parties

Up until the 15-th of July, Turkish domestic political atmosphere was quite fragmented, it was an atmosphere in which there was a very heated debate, as should be in democracies, all issues are openly debated in Turkey, according to Coskun.

“It was in immediate aftermath of the 15-th of July that we saw a totally different picture of the Turkish political scene, particularly the display of solidarity by all of our population, irrespective of their political affiliation. It was a fantastic show of solidarity, putting aside political differences, and standing up for democratic order, for legitimate order in Turkey,” the ambassador said.

That night, the parliament, despite the fact that it was being bombed by F-16's and helicopters witnessed something else that was fantastic, according to the ambassador.

“All of the members of parliament from different political parties rushed to the parliament, despite the fact that it was being bombed and they also undertook their responsibility as the legitimate representatives of the people to come to parliament and to show that they would stand for the constitutional order in Turkey,” the ambassador said.

“All these were very positive shows of solidarity, starting in the streets with the people, carried on to the political spectrum with the undertaking of our political parties and showed, I think, to everyone around the world that when push comes to shove Turkish society will not allow democracy to be undermined and that political parties though they may have very deep differences in various issues in politics and so on, that when it comes to our constitutional order they will also come together and defend it. I think in healthy democracy one cannot ask for a better display of solidarity from both the people on the street and its political leader,” the ambassador added.

Death penalty in Turkey

Currently the issue of bringing back the death penalty is a debate, and this debate comes from people in the street that have been chanted for this, the ambassador said.

He added that the president of Turkey and the country’s government have not committed to anything.

With regard to the possibility that the EU may disapprove of Turkey possibly reinstating the death penalty, the ambassador said that the country respects this, and is ready to talk on the subject.

“But it is very important that when they express their disappointment on this case they do it at acceptable manner," the ambassador said.

He added that Turkey is very open and sincere in its relationship with the EU.

Over 50 years, the ambassador said, Turkey has been held at the door of the full membership to the EU because of numerous new obstacles that have been put up in front of Turkey, despite the fact that many other countries have been given much more softer approach to the membership.

Turkey-NATO relations

The ambassador said that Turkey is a very strong and longstanding member of the alliance. Coskun does not see any direct correlation with Turkey's relationship with NATO and what is going on in Turkey.

“We will continue to have very strong military. Obviously it is a big challenge because significant number of military personal have been withdrawn from the duties. Some have been retired, some have been implicated in the coup attempt,” the ambassador said.

But Turkey institutes with a number of new reforms and wants to make sure that what happened on 15th of July will never be repeated in Turkey, the ambassador said.

He also added that all the institutions in Turkey will be reformed and both with the democracy and with systemic improvements the country will continue to play very important role not only in this region or as a member of the alliance, but on the global scale.

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