“A TURKISH SUCCESS STORY”

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an Islamic politician who favors democratic pluralism, it has enacted far-reaching reforms that are intended to meet the exacting admissions criteria of the European Union. Mr. Erdogan, who visits the White House today, is a strongly pro-Western leader who worked hard to repair the breach that opened between Washington and Ankara over the Iraq war, which Turkish public opinion strongly opposed. The Bush administration clearly appreciates those efforts, as the high-level reception awaiting Mr. Erdogan in Washington shows. But the administration can do more, especially on the tangled issue of Cyprus, divided between Greek and Turkish Cypriot sectors. Winning E.U. approval for Turkey’s candidacy later this year probably depends on a resolution of this issue.” The New York Times also added that the Turkish generals must stand behind Erdogan’s Cyprus diplomacy as well as his efforts to move closer to Western-style democracy. “America has a strong interest in Mr. Erdogan’s success,” stressed the daily.