PROFILE
İsmail
Cem RC 59
Not Just
Politics as
Usual
Çharismatic, charming yet strong-willed, as at ease
in Washington as in Ankara, during his tenure as
foreign minister from 1997 - 2 0 0 2 ismail Cem RC
59 is credited with having cemented Turkey's European
Union membership bid and creating an all-important
rapprochement with Greece that eventually paved the
way for EU negotiations to go ahead.
Born in Istanbul in 1940, Cem graduated from Robert
College in 1959. He then studied law at the L a u s a n n e
Faculty of Law, returning to Turkey in 1963 to begin
working as a journalist. In 1974, he was asked by then
prime minister Bulent Ecevit RC 44 to take over Turkey's
state-run TV and radio enterprise TRT.
A social democrat keen to brighten up Turkey's dull
broadcaster, C e m soon fell foul of conservatives and was
fired after only a year in the job. In 1987 he was elected
to parliament for the Social Democrat Populist Party and
took office as culture minister in 1995.
In 1997, having moved to Bulent Ecevit's own party, he
was made foreign minister, a post he kept through two
more changes of government.
In addition to his high-profile political career, he also
earned a reputation as a photographer, with several
exhibitions to his name. Since 2 0 0 2 , he has taught
ismail Cem with his daughter ipek Cem Taha, RC 85
political science classes at Istanbul's Bilgi University. He is
m e m b e r of the 'Republican People's Party C o u n c i l ' . He published
two books in 2 0 0 4 and 2 0 0 5 , both on foreign policy ('Türkiye,
Avrupa, Avrasya' and 'Avrupa'nın Birliği ve Türkiye') and is
working on the last v o l u m e of this trilogy, which will deal with
the Middle East.
The R C Q c o n d u c t e d the following interview.
RC Quarterly: You began your career as a journalist. How
did you then decide to go into public service?
C e m : After graduating from Robert College, I studied law in
L a u s a n n e . But I was always interested in both politics and
writing, so from 1963 onwards, I worked as a journalist and
writer. I also published research. In 1974, I was a p p r o a c h e d by
then prime minister Bülent Ecevit to b e c o m e head of TRT
(Turkish state television and radio). I accepted the position,
because I had always believed in public service. Even between
1987-2003, when I was an MP and held ministerial posts, I never
a b a n d o n e d my identity as a writer. As an extension of this, today
I teach a course on politics at Bilgi University.
RCQ: What were your interactions with fellow Robert Kolej
graduates over the years? Did you work together?
C e m : Robert Kolej has a very special place for me. It is a
place with which I share the most important relationships in my
life, including with my wife Elçin A C G 60 and daughter İpek. I
still see many of my former classmates. A m o n g t h e m , the
person I spent the most time with and worked with was the
publisher Ercan Arıklı, RC 59 who passed away. He was a
confidante with w h o m I exchanged views on many different
subjects, and whose friendship I always enjoyed.
RCQ: Did you have a particular teacher who influenced you?
How?
C e m : The teacher w h o influenced met he most at Robert
College was my Literature teacher Ekrem Yirmibeşin. He
introduced us to new dimensions in the way we thought about
Turkey and the world. Going beyond a traditional literature class,
he encouraged us to think and analyse. He is one of the key
figures in my development.
RCQ: You are perhaps best remembered as the architect of
the recent Turkish-Greek rapprochement. Do you think this is
your most important legacy?
C e m : Actually no. Of course this is very important but you
have to think about it on another level. My foreign policy
approach both explained and made use of Turkey's history,
culture and its strategic position. The EU m e m b e r s h i p process,
Turkish-Greek rapprochement and good relations with our
neighbours are all part of this a p p r o a c h in which I tried to
recreate Turkey as an influential international actor. You have
to look at foreign policy as a whole. The rapprochement in
Turkish-Greek relations is one reflection of this. In addition, that
rapprochement was given m o m e n t u m by the support of the
people in both countries, as well as political leaders at the time.
18
19
GRADUATES
IN T H E NEWS
Orhan Pamuk, RA 70,
Becomes First Turk to
Win a Nobel Prize
him amo
OA
As the RCQ was about to go to print, we were thrilled to
hear the news that Orhan Pamuk RA 70 was awarded the
Nobel Prize for Literature this year. Congratulations to our
very own Nobel laureate, we are extremely proud to count
him among our graduates.
rhan Pamuk, RA 70, a u t h o r of My Name is Red, S n o w and
half-a-dozen other novels, won the Nobel Literature Prize.
A n n o u n c i n g the decision on O c t o b e r 12th, the Swedish
A c a d e m y said Pamuk, "in the quest for the m e l a n c h o l i c soul of his
native city (Istanbul) has discovered new s y m b o l s for the clash and
interlacing of cultures."
P a m u k said he was honored to be awarded the prize. "It's s u c h a
great honor, s u c h a great pleasure," P a m u k told journalists at
Columbia University in New York, where he is
currently teaching for a year. "I think that this is
first of all an honor bestowed upon the Turkish
language, Turkish culture, Turkey and also
recognition of my labors ... my humble devotion to
that great art of the novel," he s a i d .
"In this emerging era of d y n a m i c and profound
shifts in our world, Mr. P a m u k reminds us of the
central role of place in the f o r m a t i o n of character,"
said C o l u m b i a University President L e e Bollinger.
"With works translated in 40 different languages,
he has touched the hearts of readers e v e r y w h e r e
by challenging their understanding of history,
myth, and legend.
Turkey celebrated Pamuk's a c h i e v e m e n t . "It is
great happiness for us all that a Turkish writer has won s u c h a
prestigious award," said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. A n o t h e r
celebrated author, Ya§ar K e m a l s a i d : "I am delighted that dear
O r h a n received this award which he so d e s e r v e d . "
Fellow College graduate and writer P e r i h a n M a g d e n , RC 79, said
the award was a boon for Turkish literature. " P a m u k ' s award will
greatly increase interest in Turkey, Turkish writers and Turkish
artists. It will pave the way for other writers." B o r n in 1952 into a
prosperous, s e c u l a r family, P a m u k was intent on b e c o m i n g a painter
in his y o u t h . He studied architecture at Istanbul Technical University
but later turned to writing and studied j o u r n a l i s m in Istanbul.
He published his prize-winning first novel, Cevdet Bey and His
Sons, in 1982, a family chronicle in which he describes the shift
from a traditional O t t o m a n family environment to a more Western
lifestyle. He has not looked back since.
P a m u k will receive a gold medal and diploma, as well as the
prize s u m of 10 million kronor (1.07 million euros, 1.37 million
dollars), from Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal c e r e m o n y
in S t o c k h o l m on D e c e m b e r 10.
20