Islamic Political Identity in Turkey

236 islamic political identity in turkeypolicy issues. Gül, who played a leading role in formulating RP’s foreign policypositions, said:Turkey is neither Luxembourg nor Bangladesh. History, geographyand reality require Turkey to carry and fulWll a mission regardless ofour desires. This mission or role may be the role of the OttomanEmpire. We therefore cannot remain indiVerent to the developmentsin Palestine, Yugoslavia, and Albania due to our national interest.He concluded that Turkey is “the cultural center of Islamic civilization in Europe.We [Turkey] therefore have to involve ourselves in the developments inthe Balkans.” 103From 1991 to 1995, the central concerns of Erbakan’s foreign policy wereBosnia, Cyprus, the Middle East, and Azerbaijan. Because Erbakan did not relyon a speechwriter, he formulated the issues for his public addresses, whichusually were printed after he had spoken. Consequently, Erbakan’s foreign policywas based less on critical analysis and more on ambiguous appeals to populism.For instance, he claimed to be “against making any concessions” in Cyprus,Bosnia, and Azerbaijan. His party tended to share the view of most Turks thatAnkara’s foreign policy was an extension of Turkish-European relations. 104 Accordingto Erbakan, the United Nations served as an instrument of Westernimperialism. With respect to the conXict in Bosnia—which he and most Turksviewed as genocide against the Muslim population—Erbakan claimed thatthe major catastrophic event of the century is taking place at theheart of Europe. The double standard of the West became clear.What did they do to stop this carnage? The West only observed themassacre! They therefore want this carnage to go on because thosewho are killed and raped are Muslims. I want to know where is theUnited Nations which was established on the principle of no forcefulacquisition of territory? What happened to the principles of theUnited Nations? The UN implements its principles only against theMuslims. If Muslims suVer, these principles have no value whatsoever.The UN has no moral face any more. 105Erbakan similarly judged NATO in terms of its role in the Bosnian crisis:“NATO does not want to help because its new enemy is Islam (Green) not communism(Red).” 106 Through the concept of an Islamic Union, the RP wanted toestablish an Islamic UN, an Islamic NATO, an Islamic UNESCO, and an Islamiceconomic community, 107 in other words, an Islamic international systemunder the leadership of Turkey. Ultimately, Erbakan argued, the RP seeks toestablish a new civilization that will revolve around “hak [divine justice] ratherthan force.” Turkey, he said, “had to lead other Muslim countries in the establishmentof a new civilization and just world order.” 108 Erbakan sought to Xy“the RP Xag to unify 1.2 billion Muslims all over the world.” 109 Nevertheless,when Erbakan listed the successes to date of his party’s Milli Görü7, he mentionedTurkey’s full membership in the Organization of the Islamic Conference,even though Turkey is only an informal member, not a fully accredited one. 110