Irish ambassador: 'Turkey’s normalization efforts with former rivals is a hopeful start for 2022'

Menekşe Tokyay – ANKARA

Duvar English has launched a new series of interviews with the ambassadors in Ankara.

The interviews will be reachable both from our Turkish and English websites.

The political, economic, commercial, social aspects of bilateral relations as well as challenges and opportunities ahead will be elaborated in each interview.

The third interview is conducted with the ambassador of Ireland, Sonya McGuinness, who is in charge since 2019.

As a country who supports Turkey’s EU membership, Ireland accords high importance to the resolution of Cyprus issue and allocates a significant sum of money for EU’s assistance to Turkey for handling Syrian refugees.

Dear Ambassador, as a country that has supported Turkey’s EU accession bid, what is Ireland’s current stance regarding Turkey’s human rights and democratization record? At which points do you suggest further efforts from Ankara to strengthen its candidacy profile to the EU?

Ireland continues to support Turkey’s membership of the EU. As we celebrate this year our fifty years of membership, we consider our own accession to be a historical highpoint. Membership is transformative and in our case, as Commissioner Mairead McGuinness says it brought us into the European family allowing Irish people’s talents, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to blossom into building better lives and a prosperous, secure future. We hope for those successes for Turkey too.

It is clear, however, that significant and sustained reforms are required for the current standstill in Turkey’s accession process to end. This includes progress in areas such as adherence to fundamental values, including defence of human rights, freedom of expression, and strict respect for the rule of law. It is our hope that the necessary steps to develop a genuine partnership with the EU can be taken in the coming period.

What is the importance of historical memory about Turkey’s donation to Ireland during the Great Famine in the 1840s? Does this historical background still influence Irish people’s perception about Turkey?

Generosity and hospitality are the two character traits that Irish people always associate with Turkish people, whether in the past to the starving victims of the famine, or today in their support for their neighbours fleeing war and persecution. The town in Ireland that received that support, Drogheda still bears the crescent moon in its town flag and these days Drogheda football club have strong ties with their sister club in Trabzon. In the modern era tens of thousands of Irish people come to Turkey each year to experience the every-day hospitality and warmth of Turkish friends a d a little much-needed sunshine.

To what extent Ireland, as a new non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, is planning to extend helping hand to Turkey to handle the Syrian refugee issue? How did your country assist Ankara in aid for humanitarian crisis in Syria?

We recognize the enormous responsibility that Turkey has shouldered in hosting millions of refugees from the conflict in Syria. On the Security Council we have been working hard as co-penholders with Norway on the Syria humanitarian file to ensure that the extensive humanitarian needs within Syria can continue to be met. We speak regularly with our Turkish counterparts to share ideas and plans. Ireland has also been working with UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen in support of his efforts towards a sustainable political solution under the framework set out in Security Council resolution 2254.

Resolution 2254 recognises the critical need to build conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees to their home areas in Syria. We want to see that happen and Ankara does too. Ireland is working both on the Security Council and as an EU Member State towards supporting the creation of those conditions.

Ireland of course contributes to the EU Facility for refugees in Turkey, the so-called FRiT which has a total budget of €6 billion for humanitarian and development actions. Ireland’s contribution to the first tranche of FRiT was €22.9 million which has been fully paid and in total we will contribute €33.6 million, a significant sum for a small Member State. I also have an officer in my Embassy who works full time on humanitarian issues in this region.

What is the official stance of Ireland for the Cyprus issue and the Eastern Mediterranean gas exploration projects?

Ireland is guided by the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and continues to be committed to the establishment of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal state on the island of Cyprus and an honourable, balanced and durable settlement protecting and safeguarding the basic rights of all Cypriots. We understand very well the requirement for parity of esteem for two communities on one island and of course wish to see a peaceful and constructive approach to building the future of those communities. We very much welcome a calm and constructive approach in the Eastern Mediterranean as we have seen since late 2020. We do not want to see any actions that would infringe on international law.

What have been the latest trends for the trade volume between Turkey and Ireland? Do you think there is still some untapped potential for this bilateral trade?

There is huge potential for increasing trade between our two countries. In the last ten years trade has grown by 10 percent but the figure can be greatly improved. Ireland is to the fore in the area of fintech (financial technology) and agtech (agricultural technology) and these are just two areas ripe for cooperation with Turkey.

Ireland is an open economy and we have benefitted enormously from pursuing an open, export-led economic model. We are a welcoming and attractive location for talent from abroad in a wide range of highly sought-after high technology disciplines. As you know, Ireland is one of the tech capitals of the world, and the technology sector is a priority for Ireland’s economy - the availability of talent is central to this ambition so we are particularly interested in welcoming highly-skilled Turkish professionals to Ireland. We also hope that many young Turks will come to Ireland for part of their education – those people to people contacts are crucial in building friendships and solidarity between countries as well as between individuals

Ireland’s worldwide reputation for high quality education is built upon a commitment to excellence. Today’s international students are tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs and investors. By bringing them to Ireland to study, we have the opportunity to influence their future choices by demonstrating that Ireland can be a great place in which to invest and do business.

How do you assess current efforts of Turkish state for normalizing ties with its former foes, especially Israel, Armenia and Gulf countries?

Turkey is a tremendously important country in this region and the efforts being made towards peace and stabilisation will hugely benefit both Turkey, its neighbours and the wider global community. These are very hopeful and positive developments. A return to full diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey represents an opportunity to build cooperation in the region, increase prosperity, and tackle common challenges. Like all those interested in peace we hope to see further steps taken.

Likewise the normalisation of the Turkey-Armenia relations are crucial for stability and peace in the Caucasus. Without improved relations between Armenia and Turkey, any progress, reconciliation and peacebuilding effort between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be very difficult. It is an optimistic time and we too hope to see benefits for the ordinary people of this region.

The same is true in the Gulf region. We know from our own experience in Ireland that it is only through dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy that we can resolve our conflicts.

It is a hopeful start for 2022.