Visits and symbols

TURKISH foreign policy was marked by two critical visits this week: President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq and German President Steinmeier’s visit to Turkey. Many messages that are not spoken directly are conveyed through symbols in Turkey- Germany relations and Turkey-Iraq-Northern Iraq Kurdish administration dialogue.

Both visits were memorable, with critical domestic and foreign policy symbols. Most notable was that German President Steinmeier invited a doner maker to his delegation and personally cut doner with the maker at a reception in his honor at the German embassy in Istanbul. Doner kebab is a trendy food in Germany. In a sense, it is seen as a value-added to German culture by the Turks who went to this country to work 50 years ago. Indeed, the German President wanted to emphasize this during his visit.

However, the donor issue has also earned the ire of the Turkish diaspora, which has become part of German society after 50 years and contributes to it in many areas. For example, it was heavily criticized that he included a doner maker in his delegation instead of Ugur Sahin and Ozlem Tureci, two scientists of Turkish origin who made a significant contribution to Germany scientifically and financially by finding the vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reduction of the contribution of Turks to Germany to doner kebab was obviously not appreciated by a large part of the Turkish community in this country.

A TRAFFIC OF MEETINGS FULL OF MESSAGES

Also noteworthy was Steinmeier’s inclusion of symbolic politicians of Turkish domestic politics in his meeting traffic. He attended a joint program in Istanbul with Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu at the Sirkeci Train Station, the last stop of the first Turkish workers who migrated to Germany. Also noteworthy was the presence of former President Abdullah Gul at a reception at the German Consulate in Istanbul. Steinmeier attended joint programs with Fatma Sahin, the AK Party’s only female mayor, in her hometown, Gaziantep, and with Mansur Yavas, the mayor of Ankara, in Ankara. It was also crucial that Steinmeier, who was an official guest of President Erdogan, included the leader of the main opposition CHP, Ozgür Ozel, in his meeting traffic.

THE ISSUE OF WELCOMING

The symbolism of President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq was also noteworthy. Erbil, the center of the Kurdish Autonomous Administration in Northern Iraq, was decorated with Turkish flags, and even the Turkish flag was projected on the Erbil Castle to mark Erdogan’s arrival. Indeed, the projection of the Turkish flag on the Erbil Castle drew intense criticism from nationalist Kurds in Northern Iraq, especially on social media.

Another interesting element was that the welcoming ceremony for Erdogan in Erbil was much more ostentatious than in Baghdad. The Northern Iraqi government welcomed the Turkish President as if he had arrived in an independent country. Everything from the red carpets to the ceremonial guard, from the marching band to the greeting of the entire Northern Iraqi protocol, was planned in detail.

Najirvan Barzani, the President of the Autonomous Region of northern Iraq, greeted Erdogan alone in front of his plane in Erbil.

However, Qubad Talabani, the deputy prime minister of the autonomous region and the representative of the Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the second largest political force in Northern Iraq after the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which is dominated by Barzani, also came forward and gave Erdogan a special welcome.

Talabani’s greeting was significant as it was the first encounter at such a high level with the President of Turkey, which is in the process of imposing sanctions on the PUK for its support of the PKK terrorist organization. Nechirvan Barzani and Kubat Talabani welcomed Erdogan together in the VIP lounge of Erbil Airport.

Erdogan also met with the representatives of Turkmens in Northern Iraq, which Turkey attaches great importance to. However, Iraqis criticized the fact that only Turkish flags were displayed during this meeting on social media.

One crucial detail of Erdogan’s visit to Erbil was his meeting with the former President of the Autonomous Region, Massoud Barzani. While the Turkish side announced this meeting as Erdogan receiving Barzani, Barzani’s official social media account posted the meeting as Barzani receiving Erdogan.

Obviously, in Turkey-Germany relations as well as in Turkey-Iraq-Northern Iraq Kurdish administration dialog, many messages that are not spoken directly are conveyed through symbols.