Mr Erdogan’s address

Given our troubled history with other countries in the neighbourhood over the years since Independence it is encouraging to note that at least in respect of Turkey Pakistan has no bones to pick, no territorial disputes and shares a bilateral relationship that is almost universally harmonious and stretches back seven decades. For the first time a foreign representative, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressed a joint session of Parliament on 17^th for the third time having previously done so in 2009 and 2012.

Addresses of this sort are ceremonial affairs and unlikely to produce surprises or controversy, but it was notable that the Turkish President offered an unequivocal line of support to Pakistan in respect of the Kashmir issue and was one of the few countries do so. Turkish support in the UN is also likely to be forthcoming and is equally welcome. He also spoke of the threat of terrorism presented by a range of organisations including the organisation that mounted an unsuccessful coup against his government in the summer of this year. Pakistan and Turkey share a relationship that President Erdogan said went beyond the diplomatic, and he cited the offer of places for 500 students as emblematic of that. Trading relations are set for positive development and the address may be characterised as generally upbeat. The only sour note was introduced by the ill-advised boycott of the joint sitting by the PTI, which was of the opinion that by attending it would in some way be seen as an endorsement of the Prime Minister alleged to be facing corruption charges.

Turkey has moved to the fore in geopolitical terms over the last decade. It is now an important player on the world stage rather than sitting in the background, and closely involved with a number of complex foreign policy issues relating to conflicts in the Middle East as well as a refugee crisis that is greater than our own. It is both a country that we can do business with and a staunch ally in difficult times.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2016.

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