{"id":29010,"date":"2017-05-18T21:56:19","date_gmt":"2017-05-18T21:56:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/?p=29010"},"modified":"2017-05-18T22:37:11","modified_gmt":"2017-05-18T22:37:11","slug":"arrogance-or-ignorance-turkeys-diplomacy-needs-fine-tuning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/arrogance-or-ignorance-turkeys-diplomacy-needs-fine-tuning\/","title":{"rendered":"Arrogance or ignorance? Turkey\u2019s diplomacy needs fine tuning"},"content":{"rendered":"
Once again, the diplomatic assertiveness that has characterized Turkey\u2019s foreign relations in recent years, was in full view of the world this week.<\/p>\n
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. He was there to repair the strained bilateral relationship and try to change President Trump\u2019s mind about the US military moves in Syria that Turkey said it found totally unacceptable.<\/p>\n
Opinions vary as to what exactly came out of their face-to-face meetings, first in the Oval Office, then with their delegations over a working lunch.<\/p>\n
Both leaders have talked of a \u2018new era\u2019 in US-Turkey relations and declared their commitment to work together in future.<\/p>\n
Whatever the outcome, the visit was an important one. It happened at a time when both sides are straining to remain courteous despite their disagreements while tensions all around them are running exceptionally high.<\/p>\n
Yet, the meeting itself barely made the headlines because it got drowned out by what happened soon after it finished.<\/p>\n
After meeting with President Trump, President Erdogan went to the Turkish Ambassador\u2019s residence in Washington to attend an event co-hosted by the Turkish think tank\u00a0SETA and the US organization the Atlantic Council.<\/p>\n
The violent brawl<\/a> between Mr. Erdogan\u2019s security personnel and protesters demonstrating outside the embassy, has become the latest in a series of scandals witnessed during the Turkish President\u2019s visits abroad.<\/p>\n Calling the violence a “brutal attack on peaceful protesters\u201d,\u00a0 Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham\u00a0 said it was not something that they would tolerate in Washington DC.<\/p>\n