July 15 Coup Attempt and the insensitivity of the West is discussed at Western Platform, organized by Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Western Studies and Research Center.
Attendees to the platform included former EU Minister Egemen Bagis, AK Party Istanbul Representative Feyzullah Kıyıklık, AK Party Adana Representative Talip Kucukcan Ph.D., IAU President Dr. Mustafa Aydın, Kucukcekmece Deputy Mayor Besim Muftuoglu, IAU Director of the Western Studies Center Kenan Gursoy Ph.D., former Kırklareli Representative Ahmet Gokhan Sarıcam, former Kucukcekmece Mayor Aziz Yeniay, Bekir Karlıga Ph.D., Author-Researcher Senail
Ozkan, and many others from academic community.
Western Studies and Research Center promotes the studies of different cultures, and historical, philosophical, economic and religious dynamics of the western civilizations and discusses the topics that concern the West and Turkey as well.
Attended by important speakers from political and academic communities, during the second meeting of the Western Platform issues such as the insensitivity of the West in the wake of the coup attempt in Turkey, the reasons behind such a behavior, its results and what should our reaction be were discussed.
“OUR PEOPLE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE, AS POLITICANS, COULDN’T”
Egemen Bagıs, former minister of EU, attended the platform as the primary speaker and stressed that Istanbul Aydın University’s works about the West has a special importance for him and said, “ One of the most important Turkey’s current agenda item is July 15 event. We will discuss what we need to do for the West to understand us better after we first understand them and the insensitivity of the West after July 15. We have not seen the sensibility we have expected from the West, our allies, EU and the US. We have rushed to our phones when we realized that there had been a coup attempt. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of EU called our counterparts in Europe and the US and asked them to side with democracy and exhibit their support for us. They did not say no but they took their time. When people took the streets in response to our Prime Minister’s call, they then thought about democracy and started giving speeches about democracy.
We have to accept, our people accomplished what we, as politicians, couldn’t. They defended democracy at squares all around the country and pushed Europe and the West to support Turkey in terms of democracy. We need to know what to do for the West to understand us. During my 5 years of being Turkey’s Minister of EU and Chief Negotiator, I have witnesses that Europe looks down on Turkey’s democracy. I have answered all of that. On the night of July 15, our people gave them such a lesson that they can never criticize Turkey’s democracy, human rights and freedom. Because nowhere in the world, more than half of a country’s people risked their lives to protect democracy. Hats off to the people of our country! Our people deserves the best and we are very honored with them.”
“TURKEY NEEDS TO MAINTAIN ITS STANCE WITHOUT GETTING STUBBORN”
“ We cannot totally end our relationships with the West. But we cannot be the ‘bird in the hand’ kind of ally for the West as they wish us to be. We have been a bridge between the East and the West for centuries. The West needs this bridge as much the East needs it. At this point, we need to establish mechanisms where we can express ourselves to the West better. We need to do that together with the private sector, NGO’s, academic communities and media. There is no other Turkey. July 15 has brought us together so from now, we need to give Turkey’s messages to the West, to the East, to the North and to the South simultaneously,” said Bagıs.
“THE WEST PERCEIVES DEMOCRACY ACCORDING TO THEIR INTERESTS”
“ The main topic that brought us together here, today is ‘Western Hyprocity’” said IAU President Dr. Mustafa Aydın and emphasized that the West perceives democracy according to their interests. Underscoring that in what way Turkey will develop a strategy will also be discussed during the meeting, Dr. Mustafa Aydın added, “ If the West sees an interest then there exist democracy otherwise democracy is not very important for them. Today, we will discuss West’s democratic stance and behaviors in the wake of July 15 incident with very distinguished scientists, politicans and businessmen. Our nation’s stance against coup attemp without considering language, ethnicity, race and political differences, in response to our Prime Minister’s powerful leadership and their unity to stop the coup attempt have mesmerized the West. The West was puzzled with the social engineering they faced and for few months haven’t said anything. They almost said “Why did the coup fail?” With time, they have started giving statements and visiting Turkey, as they had seen the people’s stance, will and their belief in democracy. Today, we will discuss all these works from a sociological, economic, political and military standpoint and decide how we should perceive their attitude and make politics accordingly. In fact, all the universities need to do such works. Because we need to shape the perception of Turkey in the minds of the West altogether.
“ THE WEST DOES NOT WANT A STRONG TURKEY”
Explaining West’s indifference to coup attemp as “ The West does not want a strong Turkey”, Dr. Mustafa Aydın added, “The West does not a country, Turkey, who has a say in its region, who determines policies in its region, who does not allow decisions to be made including her. Therefore, the West wanted to weaken Turkish military. In fact, they wanted to create such a world where they could shape the Middle East with any politics and games continuously, a process that have already started in Turkey with the attempt to cover Turkish soldiers head with a sack, continued with Ergenekon and Balyoz (Sledgehammer) movements and finally with the coup attempt. It is very obvious that they have worked together with Fethullah Gulen.”
