As soon as you think about travelling to Turkey on a highly official media visit, the memory of history and geography flashes back and the era of the Ottoman Empire resurges, in parallel to Erdogan's strenuous efforts to place Turkey in an advanced international position. You will remember a civilization that prevailed throughout centuries, went dormant, then returned to the spotlight in the last few years after Turkey - under the regime of the Justice and Development Party - became “a soft and conservative democratic power." You will ask yourself: Has the duo (Gul and Erdogan) managed to restore the Ottoman glow and stop pursuing the European Union, which is still refusing to accept Turkey as a full member state? What does Turkey mean to the Arabs – whether it is European or Asian, secular or Muslim – other than being a state seeking its interests and the revival of its power, and presenting itself as a responsible global force achieving its goals and the ambitions of its people? Why is the Islamic movement successful in Turkey while it is still faltering and falling in other Arab and Islamic states? Can one count on Ankara's role in the face of the challenges and problems facing the states of the region? Is Turkey in agreement with the Arab countries or competing with them and seeking its interests solely? While I was aboard a Saudi royal plane that took off from Jeddah and headed to Turkey, I overlooked for a moment the capital Ankara, and imagined the morning in Istanbul, the historical and strategic city which links the Asian and European continents. I thought of the Bosporus Strait, the Marmara Sea, the Dardanelles Strait, and the color of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. I imagined the night of Istanbul, the city that never sleeps, of sea and stars, of domes, minarets and old Islamic heritage. A few minutes before the plane landed, I was starting to see Ankara as a wonderful painting, not as it had been on previous visits. It appeared to be a young, motivated, and economically flourishing capital. Today, Turkey is the third country around the world at the level of construction and one of Europe's greatest economies. In addition, Turkish economy comes in the 17th position globally and is part of the G20. There are many lessons to be drawn from the Turkish economic reform experience. In only 10 years, the country was able to carry out a real shift in all the financial indexes and at the level of development, production, exportation and tourism, which was reflected on the quality of education, health and services, provided job opportunities, contained the unemployment rates, eliminated extreme poverty, and improved the Turkish people's living conditions. When Turkey launched its reformatory experience, its debt to the International Monetary Fund amounted to $23 billion. And what is admirable is that by last April, it had paid back all its debt and is now considering the provision of a $5 billion loan to the IMF. Thanks to the stringent and flexible policies of the Justice and Development Party, Turkey was able to achieve economic and social stability for its citizens, eliminated the housing problems, decreased the unemployment rates and established a strong political position on the regional and international levels, while relying on a foreign policy based on the principle of zero problems with the neighboring states. Erdogan's government did not succeed because it works alone or adopts its decisions by itself, but because it was able to activate the principle of popular participation and establish strong working relations with civil society. Indeed, the academic circles, research centers, associations, professional unions, private sector companies, and non-governmental organizations all participate in analytical work and political activities supported by the World Bank, the government, and the national authorities. This role is non-existent in the majority of the Arab countries. In Turkey, there is a real business revolution, which reflected on the state that became optimistic, passionate, confident and open to others, and transformed it into a real and influential power in the region, which is visited by those coming from both the East and the West. Personally, I do not support some of Erdogan's policies and discursive exaggerations, and I am not a fan of the Turkish series invading the Arab television channels. But in reality, Turkey is proceeding with great confidence and presenting itself as a wise state despite the provocations of the Syrian regime. It has thus started to gain popular trust, establish strong regional ties, and achieve international accomplishments, at a time when the Arab governments are hibernating and only wish to see those who belong to the close circle do the work and make the decisions! (Tomorrow's article is on the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince to Ankara)
