Lebanon: The Message Of Ardogan's Visit

This editorial was published in The Daily Star on 26/11/2010

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was feted this week in Lebanon by the country’s leaders and officials during a visit that was heavy in symbolism, and perhaps even heavier in impact.

Although Erdogan’s two-day trip was officially focused on bilateral economic and business ties, he was naturally unable to avoid the state of affairs in Lebanon, which has been suffering from crippling bouts of political paralysis for much of the year.

Erdogan did pledge to help act as a fireman, stressing his country’s support for serious efforts to quell possible strife. Perhaps Erdogan can assist in extinguishing some of Lebanon’s smaller fires, but he doesn’t represent a magic solution. He repeated Ankara’s well-known goals of seeing peace, stability, prosperity and security in its immediate vicinity, thereby emphasizing that his visit to Lebanon was more strategic in nature.

Thankfully, Erdogan’s visit was one that covered nearly all of Lebanon’s political spectrum. He met leaders from all sides, and stayed on message, whether he was in the south, the north, or the capital, stressing the same principles and not catering to narrow partisan interests.

More importantly, Erdogan’s visit was about the inking of significant bilateral agreements that are the fruit of more than five years of negotiations and preparations. A free trade agreement, other forms of liberalization and bilateral cooperation, such as the possible creation of a regional version of the Schengen Zone, and the continued presence of Turkish troops in the UNIFIL force in the south: all of these were of central importance during Erdogan’s visit.

Were there protests during Erdogan’s visit?

Certainly, Lebanon’s Armenians had their say, and it should not be forgotten that Turkey’s recent diplomatic tiffs with Israel have upped the pressure on Ankara to follow through, to satisfy those for whom the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is their highest priority.

In the end, Lebanese should walk away with an abiding message from Erdogan’s visit: the value of healthy bilateral relations, when states deal with states, on an equal footing.

There were no ulterior motives behind the visit, which focused on matters of mutual interest. Erdogan pointed out that national sovereignty is not something that should be linked to the size of a given state, and that a sound economy flows from complete sovereignty, not the other way around.

Fellow members of the international community of nations shouldn’t act in patronizing fashion toward Lebanon, despite its small size; the visit by Erdogan ought to remind the Lebanese of the value of establishing bilateral ties based on joint interests, mutual respect, and a sound vision for the future.