The interim government’s new ministers are appointed and tasks defined. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced the names taking place in the interim government during a press conference in the Çankaya Palace. Among the names to run ministries in the caretaker government are many surprise names like Yalçın Topçu and Selami Altınok.
Prime Minister Davutoglu announced Ali Rıza Alaboyun as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources; Müslüm Doğan as Minister of Development; Selami Altınok as Minister of Interior; Feridun Sinirlioğlu as Minister of Foreign Affairs; Yalçın Topçu as Minister of Culture and Tourism. And MHP Deputy Tuğrul Türkeş who accepted Davutoglu’s offer for Ministry was appointed to Deputy Prime Minister. www.rotahaber.com
Comment:
The AKP received the USA’s full support during the process of its foundation, its recognition by the international public opinion, as well as during its three-term ruling period. This is because the USA who tried several times to achieve a change in the system of Turkey over various other parties, wanted to achieve this through the AKP – and so it finally succeeded. Under the leadership of Erdogan, the AKP government liquidated all institutions and organizations that were pro-British and embraced the pro-British politics, and made the pro-American system to become noticeably dominant in institutions.
The USA wants to work with strong governments in order to generate a democratic model for the Middle Eastern Islamic countries, and also in order to conduct its colonial politics in these countries by using Turkey effectively and to maintain its influence over Turkey. Moreover, during this last period it wants to eradicate the British influence on Turkey by ensuring the implementation of the presidential system. However; this American plan failed during the 7 June 2015 elections, and the AKP could not come to single-rule after losing votes. And during this process, there occurred some developments that forced the AKP to form a coalition government. In the forefront of these developments was the Suruç bombing. This bombing aimed at forcing the AKP to form a coalition government. In other words, through such steps the former pro-British political tutelage attempted at fulfilling its desire of gaining power over institutions in Turkey again. However, the USA and the AKP whose politics are umbilically linked to the USA thwarted these attempts through the decision for elections and forming an election government.
Having a careful look at the new government that will work till the early elections in November 2015 with the President’s approval and at the allocations of the ministries, the following points are striking.
First of all, through the decision for early elections the AKP (President Erdogan) prevented a political vacuum. Because a political vacuum would have meant a penetration and foothold of former pro-British politics in institutions. Since the USA became aware of this desire, and considering some risks, it made to decide for early elections in Turkey.
Having a look at the allocations of ministries, we will see that the AKP surely did not allow in any surprise names. Even though if some media produced news of surprise names in the cabinet, this is not true in reality. Because during this process, neither the USA nor President Erdogan do not have any tolerance for surprises.
Firstly, Istanbul Police Commissioner Selami Altınok was appointed to Minister of Interior. Selami Altınok had a very striking key role during the conflict between AKP and the Fethullan Gülen movement. Right from the start of the December 17 corruption investigations, being appointed to the head of the Istanbul security directorate, and blocking the investigations, he became merely the lifeblood for the AKP and the President. Therefore, from this point of view both the USA and Erdogan do not want any chaos and surprises in the internal politics. Therefore they gave the Ministry of Interior to a person whom they trusted most.
Another important Ministry is the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as this one is of special interest for the USA. It can’t be said that the USA had a bad cooperation with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu who became Minister of Foreign Affairs after Davutoğlu. But the AKP and Erdogan were not as content with Çavuşoğlu as the USA was. And the election government became an opportunity and thus Under Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Feridun Sinirlioglu has been appointed as Foreign Minister. With Feridun Sinirlioglu the USA has the most important of the brain team in the Foreign Ministry with whom the USA can work with very comfortably. Because over the last five years, the USA took whatever it wanted from Turkey in foreign politics and Turkey did everything the USA asked for. In consideration of the actual Syria and Iraq politics of the USA; a bureaucrat like Feridun Sinirlioglu as Foreign Minister suits the USA’s book very much. In other words, just like Altınok, also Sinirlioglu should not be evaluated as a surprise.
So there remains Tuğrul Türkeş and the Ministries given to two HDP names, whereby these ministries have no strategic features in terms of their importance. In addition, these assigned names are also persons whom the AKP trusts in and guarantees for.
And also the interims ministries have mostly been occupied with Under Secretaries. This situation is indicative of the confidence in the pro-American cadres and system within the institutions. Both the AKP and the USA are now fully confident with the cadres in important institutions. Besides; as it is not the Ministers who carry out the tasks in the Ministries, but rather the undersecretaries, trusting these institutions to them is a safer solution.
Through offering ministries to a few names from both the HDP and MHP, the AKP created cracks within both of the parties. At the transition to the presidential system in Turkey which is desired by the USA; there will be two parties per se. – One of the right liberal democratic wing, the other of the left socialist democratic wing. Therefore it will be of great use to create more cracks within the MHP and HDP who are on the right wing, in order to bring them to that line. The AKP sought to achieve this by offering Ministries to the deputies of these parties.
In conclusion, the USA wants a rule that is more stable and more enchained to itself in order to ease the pursuance of its Syria and Iraq politics, as well as to take more advantage of Turkey in the Middle East equation. Also the AKP and Erdogan wish a more powerful rule and in the future process (maybe only one period later) they want the presidential system. The AKP’s ambitions and policies do not differ from each other. Then why should they want to deal with surprises that would undermine their politics?
Mahmut KAR