4 months agoKosovo cannot take orders from Turkey
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)American foreign policy expert David Phillips, a fierce critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said there is a need to be a thorough investigation into the arrest incident and deportation of six Turkish citizens with residences in Kosovo on March 29th. In an interview with Skype, Phillips, which is [...]
American foreign policy expert David Phillips, a fierce critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said there is a need to be a thorough investigation into the arrest incident and deportation of six Turkish citizens with residences in Kosovo on March 29th.
In an interview with Skype, Phillips, who is the director of the Peace Construction and Human Rights programme at Columbia University in New York, has said that Kosovo is an independent and sovereign state and cannot be walked by other countries.
Voice of America: Mr. Phillips, how do you judge last week's incident in Kosovo, where six Turkish citizens were arrested, boarded a plane and deported to Turkey? Do you see this as something of concern for the way Kosovo institutions function?
David Phillips: This is a direct threat to Kosovo's sovereignty, which undermines the rule of law and its institutions. It also sends a signal to the international community that Kosovo is a weak state and that Turkey can do whatever it wants there without punishment. It is a very negative development for Kosovo.
Voice of America: However, many details are still unclear, for example whether President Hashim Thaci was directly involved, or what kind of co-operation has been offered in Kosovo to Turkey's secret service. How disturbing do you think that is?
David Phillips: It is a deep concern when politicians in Kosovo receive orders from politicians from other countries. This requires a deep and thorough investigation into what has happened; so if there has been secret co-operation between any politician in Kosovo and his counterparts in Turkey. This has to be enlightened, because it's largely unacceptable. Kosovo is an independent and sovereign state and cannot be taken to foot by Turkey or taken orders to do what Turkey wants.
Voice of America: How would you describe Turkey's influence in Kosovo? Turkey was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo's independence, and it seems that President Erdogan is taking advantage of this fact to pressure Kosovo leaders, most specifically on Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.
David Phillips: Let us be clear about the facts. Turkey was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo, but it strongly resisted recognising Kosovo's independence because it did not want people to make comparisons between Kosovo's secession from Serbia and a possible Kurdistan secession from Turkey. It is hard to say that Turkey has been a good friend of Kosovo. Its recent actions are the actions of a criminal gang, which removes itself as a government and works in secret co-operation with gangster counterparts in Kosovo, which may also be part of the Kosovo government. A thorough investigation into what happened is necessary. Turkey's insight into Kosovo society should also be closely investigated. How is it that Turkey manages to control and operate Kosovo airport? It controls Kosovo's electricity distribution network. Have there been bribes to politicians in Pristina who have allowed Turkey to win these priorities in Kosovo? And if that is true, who has benefited, how much does it profit? What does this indicate about such politicians and their credibility? Are they public servants of the people of Kosovo, or do they act on behalf of a foreign state, sabotaging the interests of Kosovo's sovereignty?
Voice of America: You have said Turkey has an Islamist agenda in Kosovo. What is this agenda, according to you, and how is Turkey trying to achieve it?
David Phillips: It is the same neo-Ottoman and Islamist agenda that Turkey exports to all former Ottoman territories and other parts of the world. She uses such secret tools as T IKA, the Agency for International Co-operation and Development, to advance Turkey's interests. It rebuilds Ottoman architecture facilities, supports the construction of mosques, supports the cost of operating meds and schools, which radicalise Kosovars. The problem Kosovo faced with ISIS was the result of TEKA's activities undermining secularism and nationalism in Kosovo, to strengthen Turkey's control and its Islamist agenda there. T IKA has several social aid programs and this is commendable. But in terms of schools that serve as middle school and where Kosovo youth can radicalise, Kosovo's government needs to be aware and to set limits on this. So there should be a transparent and public analysis of what T does IKA, because this is a direct threat to Kosovo's sovereignty and must end it.
Voice of America: How is co-operation between Turkey and Kosovo in the area of security?
David Phillips: Clearly, the two countries' intelligence agencies co-operate. The deportation of six Turkish citizens with legal standing in Kosovo is an example that talks about it. I am told that Turkish intelligence agencies have a network of agents throughout the Western Balkans, including Kosovo. They monitor the situation, monitor phone conversations and possibly collect information about Kosovo government officials, trying to discredit them and pressure them to work on Turkey's behalf. Prime Minister Haradinaj apparently knew nothing about the arrest and deportation of six Turkish citizens. I would like to know who in the Kosovo government was informed and what Turkey has given them to get approval regarding this operation as well as approval for Turkey's other activities in Kosovo.
