While radical designs in diplomacy continue

Turkey's diplomatic system was the same as the diplomatic system of powerful states; that is, the same as the military system. In a career, perhaps 30% of the staff who started to work at the lowest level could receive the rank of ambassador as soon as possible after 20 years, while the majority retired without being able to obtain the rank of ambassador. The head of the ministry's executive office was determined about 10 years in advance, and diplomats to be sent as ambassadors to the capitals of major powers were initially appointed as the head of a department in the ministry or deputy chief of the ministry's executive office.

Permanent missions to the United Nations or embassies in Washington, London, Paris, Moscow, and Beijing were often the last stops for diplomats before they retired.

When the AKP government broke with this tradition in 2011 and sent the chairman of the Higher Education Institution, Professor Yusuf Ziya Özcan, as an ambassador to Warsaw, not only the ministry but also the public was surprised. After 2016, the situation changed radically, and politicians from the ruling party, who had no experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were sent as ambassadors to important capitals: former MPs Merve Kavakçı (Kuala Lumpur), Murat Mercan (Tokyo), Şaban Dişli (Amsterdam), etc. (the list is long enough). Two weeks ago, the government took a more radical step and announced the most comprehensive "decision of ambassadors" in the history of the Republic: some of 66 ambassadors will go abroad for the first time, and some have been relocated.

The government responded with the biggest surprise to the long-awaited question "Who will be the ambassador to Washington?". Yes, you are right: the appointment of Murat Mercan, whose appointment as an ambassador to Tokyo was a big surprise, as an ambassador to Washington has been a surprise this time. Many reasons were discussed, ranging from "President Erdogan's serious maneuvers after Biden's arrival" to "being able to fight FETO more effectively in the United States because he once had a close relationship with that structure."

Murat Mercan was once close to former President Abdullah Gül, and his appointment as an ambassador to Washington sparked the version that "Erdoğan wants to improve relations with his once-closest comrade-in-arms".

Of course, all these questions and claims will be answered by the skill that Mercan, who gained diplomatic experience in Tokyo, will demonstrate (or fail to do) in Washington. I leave to the reader the forecast of Mr. Mercan's diplomatic activity in Washington by recalling some nuances of his activity as the head of the Turkish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe between 2002 and 2007.

When the non-participation of the Azerbaijani delegation in the vote in the Parliamentary Assembly regarding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 2004 infuriated Ankara, I called Murat Mercan and offered him to "come together with Samad Seyidov and thus break the ice."

Mr. Mercan categorically rejected my offer and said, "I do not want my name to be mentioned in the same place with Samad bey again."

After the first direct flight from Baku to Nicosia on June 28, 2004, Turkey's anger subsided and Murat Mercan's position changed. In January 2006, when the PACE was approaching the stage of revoking the mandate of the Azerbaijani delegation, when reporter Andreas Gross resigned and accused the Turkish, Georgian, and Russian delegations of taking money, I found Murat Mercan in Strasbourg and asked him what had happened there.

I write his answer as it was: “Some black hands in PACE wanted to revoke Azerbaijan's mandate. Working day and night with our Azerbaijani brothers, we were able to prevent the black hands from reaching out to the mandates of our brothers. Our close cooperation with our brothers will continue.”

Shortly after leaving active politics, I saw Murat Mercan, who was appointed as Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, i.e. Berat Albayrak’s deputy, with greater sincerity towards Azerbaijan. Therefore, personally, I appreciate the appointment of Murat Mercan as an ambassador to Washington from the point of view of Baku and urge everyone to take a deep breath.

"Black hands" will be prevented in Washington as well.

Mayis Alizade