The situation is far more complicated than the photograph reflects

The comments on the photograph that emerged from the latest summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which met in Uzbekistan, left far behind the more realistic assessments of the Organization. Türkiye's inclination toward this Organization, or its relations with it, are of course far more complicated, far more intricate, than can fit within the frame of this photograph alone.

First of all, we must see that what the President's dialogue with the other world leaders in the frame, and the body language reflected in the photograph, say is in fact far ahead of his actual effectiveness in Shanghai at present. Starting from the image in a single frame, it is of course not possible to say that Türkiye is in a position to make all the leaders of the countries there accept what it wants.

With the Russian leader sitting there in his most modest and low seat, despite all the dialogues and good relations, it is not possible to wrest a concession from him, even in favor of humanity, on the massacres he carries out in the Syrian field together with the regime. He does as he pleases in Syria, and Türkiye suffers considerably from this in every area.

Türkiye has rejected Russia's annexation of Crimea from the beginning and throws this in his face on every occasion and demands that this occupation be ended. Likewise, Türkiye rejects its attack on and occupation of Ukraine, and although it does not follow the same policy as the Western bloc on this matter, it stands in the same bloc.

With the Iranian President who sits in that assembly, while our disputes in the Syrian field continue, we also have, on top of that, disputes over the open support he has shown to the Armenians in Karabakh, where the Armenian occupation has been ended, and over the serious instability created by the sectarian policies he pursues in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.

No one can of course think of reducing that assembly, which includes India, the assembly's most democratic country, with its increasingly racist and discriminatory policies toward Muslims, and the leader of China, whose persecution of Turks has become blatant, to that photograph frame alone.

The only cooperation that these countries, whose relations are seriously problematic not only with Türkiye but also among themselves, can form at this stage may be in the economic field. Otherwise, China and Russia, the Organization's biggest partners, are not countries that hide their rivalry as much as their cooperation with each other in many areas.

Let us admit that the world economy is not at the stage when capitalism first formed. The member or invited countries of Shanghai, regionally considered the poorest countries of the world, are today the ever-rising economic power of the world. As such, it provides serious economic opportunities to its members.

The cooperation of the members of this organization has nothing to do with military-defense, political or ideological fields; it is limited entirely to economic fields. This organization imposes no conditions on its members regarding any particular form of government, democracy or human rights, and most of its members are not democratic; there is no requirement or inevitable consequence that one moves away from democracy because one has established a relationship with it.

In this respect the SCO has no feature that could make it an alternative to either the EU or NATO. While the changing economic dynamics of the world bring such formations with them, every country that looks after its interests watches for the advantages such formations can provide.

For years Türkiye has tied its interests to multi-directionality in foreign policy; it is not establishing a relationship with the Shanghai Organization by giving up its application for EU membership. Perhaps this relationship shows that Türkiye is not without many options. But having these options ultimately raises Türkiye's value more in the eyes of the EU as well. Because the membership of a country that has no alternative, and no capacity to produce a value and market that value to others, would gain the EU nothing either.

By taking part in all the formations outside the EU as well, Türkiye can stand out as a stronger candidate that would contribute to the EU. Otherwise, the concept of a multi-directional policy requires not choosing one or the other but diversifying alliances and cooperation formations.

Shanghai may bring an additional contribution, economically, to relations with the EU, but not an alternative. Let us not forget that even economically Türkiye still does the largest and most stable part of its trade with the EU countries. It is of course possible to interpret this in many ways. But even if relations with the Shanghai countries appear to set an indispensable route in the world of the future, there is no reason at all to think that this would require Türkiye to give up the path of democratization.

Moreover, Türkiye no longer feels at all dependent on the EU or the US regarding its own democratization course. The events that are happening and making themselves felt more every day show that neither the EU nor the US is interested in Türkiye's democratization in the slightest.

The claim that we will advance further on the path of democratization if we are close to the US and the EU is a superstition of mandate-minded heads. Neither the EU nor the US ever supports and encourages democracy in countries outside themselves with which they have relations. Behind all the coups and dictatorships in the Islamic world there are their Western collaborators, and here too the greatest obstacle to democratization is again the Western countries.

How much longer will the support that terrorist organizations against Türkiye's democracy have recently been receiving from both the US and EU countries be exposed? Is there anything left that is not understood, not seen?

Nevertheless, on democratization and human rights Türkiye must of course insist with its own will and motivation. The only driving force we need for this should be the fact that our nation more than deserves it. This merit has no need to beg for support, let alone a driving force, from others in a mandate-minded spirit.