Turkey views
The recent disturbances in Uzbekistan are viewed in Turkey with suspicion and utter caution in that they were a new step in Washington’s Fergana-Valley-centred attempts to bring “democracy” to Central Asia in the aftermath of the disintegration of the Soviet system there. As these activities have so far brought nothing else but bloodshed and confusion for these Turkic nations, Ankara is following the events very closely, but silently, as low profile policy is the wisest on the eve of President Bush’s audience to PM Erdogan on 8 June. For the reasons of this silent diplomacy on the part of Ankara and an analysis of its prospective consequences please read the article below which unfortunately could not possibly be squeezed into our four-page limit for the convenience of the reader.
The name of the State Minister in charge of the Turkic republics in the Mesut Yilmaz-Bulent Ecevit coalitions, between June 1997 and November 2003 when the AKP came to power, is Ahad Andican (Turkish way of spelling Andijon) of ANAP led by Yilmaz. As an Uzbekistan born Turk he was named after his birth place Andijon in the Fergana Valley which was the scene of violent disturbances on 12-13 May that claimed 169 lives according to Tashkent, and hundreds, even thousands more, according to less reliable insurgent sources.