"Just let us not hear bad news"

BISHKEK

Kyrgyzstan is the country where the first Muslim Turkic state in history was founded. It is one of the Central Asian republics that were given independence in 1991 within the framework of the Soviet Union's perestroika policies. We say "given independence" because none of these republics had made such a demand of Soviet rule. Shortly after independence was granted, in 1992, Turkey immediately established diplomatic relations with Kyrgyzstan, as it did with the other Turkic republics. We are in Bishkek on the occasion of the "Symposium on the Future of Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Relations" organized together with the Strategic Thinking Institute and the Central Asian Studies Center affiliated with Kyrgyzstan Manas University.

Going back, when the cost of running the Union had become ever heavier for Russia and impossible to sustain, this apparent dissolution in fact meant for Russia nothing other than a more rational restructuring of the administration. In this way, while leaving a significant part of its responsibilities to the newly established administrations, it would of course still not have released them entirely.

Today the relations of all the republics that separated from Russia with Russia are better than before, continuing at a more rational level of efficiency for Russia. While these relations continue to bring Russia a great deal, the countries are left alone with their own problems. In many countries, through dictatorships established under a showy democratic appearance, the country's decision-making processes continued to be detached from the people. In many countries, discontents that recur from time to time because of economic and political corruption have left the countries open to spring-revolution processes.

Unlike the other Turkic republics, Kyrgyzstan is a country that is not self-sufficient, either in terms of oil and underground resources or in terms of its existing industry. That is why the public is confused about what independence has brought the country. At the symposium it was stated that a significant part of the public perceives the independence of 1991 not as an achievement but as "Russia having thrown us out the door." There is also a reproach toward Russia in this perception, for with independence the Kyrgyz were left alone with their own realities and realized that, under 70 years of Russian domination, no system sufficient for themselves had been built in their country. Neither a proper governing elite nor an adequate economic stratum to run trade.

Compared with oil-rich countries such as Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan's lack of oil and underground resources is in fact a situation comparable to Turkey's. In Turkey, however, this lack of oil and energy has been turned into an advantage. When you have no underground resources, there is no other way than to rely on human capital and develop this power. The reality referred to as the Turkish miracle is made possible thanks to this human capital. Being rich in underground resources would probably have made both the rulers and the people of the country lazy and had a negative effect. Just as in other oil-rich countries.

Could Kyrgyzstan's being in the same situation in this respect allow this situation to turn into an advantage for it as well?

Undoubtedly there are also some other conditions and disadvantages. After all, it is a country with a population of only 5.5 million, of which only 65 percent are Kyrgyz. There is a social structure in which tribes are extremely influential, and within this structure it is extremely difficult to establish a central administration or to get a tax system accepted by the people.

Even so, if the only capital at hand is people, then attending to the education of these people is the most strategic option. For this reason, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Turkey's most important investment in Kyrgyzstan is education. Against the trade volume of 250 million of Turkish companies numbering up to 300, as of 2012 education scholarships are being given to nearly 5000 Kyrgyz students. In addition, two Turkish-Kyrgyz high schools and two Turkish-Kyrgyz universities operate in Kyrgyzstan. In total, Turkish-Kyrgyz educational activities have already become quite a broad, detailed file. It is clear that this has, and will have, very important results.

Most importantly, the relations are founded on mutual love and respect. The Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University is currently famed as the country's most important, respected and, in terms of resources, best university. Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Balcı, appointed rector of this university 3 years ago, has, so to speak, taken the university into a new age in a short time. With the spirit he brings to his work, with an effort that does not remain that of a mere university rector, with his modest and lively personality, he gives the best example of public diplomacy for Turkey. His having given his speech at the symposium in Kyrgyz, without stumbling and extemporaneously, frankly impressed me very much, because, unfortunately, we are more familiar with faculty members, diplomats and other state officials who manage to live for years in a country without learning even a few words of that country's language.

Bishkek, founded at the foothills of the Tian Shan (Tengri Mountain) and having hosted the first Muslim Turkic state, has today turned its eyes more toward Turkey. In an anecdote told at the symposium, the words of a much-suffering Uyghur Turk who was asked about his expectations of Turkey reflect an emotion shared by everyone in the hall: "We expect nothing; just, may we not hear bad news from you."

Undoubtedly the Kyrgyz expect a little more, and it is Turkey's responsibility to try sincerely to respond to these expectations.