Cemil Çiçek has served as the Ministry of Justice and the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey. Çiçek is the incumbent President of Turkish Grand National Assembly.
HPR: Western observers have noted that Turkey has shifted its diplomatic focus away from Europe and is strengthening its ties to the Middle East. Do you think there is an emerging paradigm shift in Turkish diplomacy?
Cemil Çiçek: Turkey is in a very significant geopolitical position on the crossroads between Asia and Europe. Historically, Turkey has always tried to keep good relations with both sides. Yet the region around Turkey is full of security problems, as well as social and economic problems. The abundance in natural resources makes these problems even worse. We have been trying to lead a peaceful policy in a region full of landmines. Our leader Ataturk’s eternal words, “Peace at home, peace in the world,” summarize Turkey’s national policy perfectly. Consequently, Turkey’s focus still faces both the west and the east. On both directions, we are trying to minimize the social and economic problems of the region using peaceful negotiations.
HPR: In the wake of the Arab Spring, a “Turkish Model” to guide the Arab countries to democracy has been discussed. How do you think Turkey can lead this challenging path to democracy in the Middle East?
CC: Turkey has ancient historical and cultural ties to the Middle Eastern and African nations, which has been reinforced for generations. In Turkey, the process of enlightenment took place much earlier than those countries. We have a history of 200 years of democratization and modernization. Democracy is not an easy target to reach. It requires social and political struggles. Now, most of the Middle East is experiencing this important process, and we cannot say that Turkey is not inspiring those countries on their way to democracy. Furthermore, Turkey, although it is an Islamic country, is still a secular state, and achieved to separate the religious issues from the affairs of the state. I believe that this can present a valuable example to other Islamic nations.
HPR: In terms of both national and international affairs, where do you imagine Turkey a decade from today?
CC: Turkey is dynamic country that also became a regional power in its area. Now, we are world’s 16th largest and Europe’s 6th largest economy. Recently our economic growth rates are in record levels. While Europe is in the midst of a crisis, we continue our steady economic growth. These data let us talk more optimistically about Turkey’s future. Turkey has changed drastically in the last 10 years, and we expect a similar large-scale change in the next 10 years. As 2023 is the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, we want to honor this day by becoming one of the top ten economies of the world by then. Likewise, we aim to increase our export levels to 500 billion dollars, which is three times larger than the current levels. Also, we want to reinforce human rights in the country by our new constitution, and increase the rate of literacy to nearly 100%. When we make all of these things happen, Turkey will become a country known not by its problems, but by the creative solutions we brought to those problems.
HPR: Finally, what is the secret behind a successful life in politics?
CC: Like in any other career, the keys to success in politics are patience and persistence. If you are conducting politics against the public, you will end up alone. However, if your goal is truly to serve the people, then you will eventually rise in the political world.
This interview is edited and condensed. The original interview was conducted in Turkish, and then translated into English by the interviewer.