KLAUS WÖLFER
EU MEMBERSHIP IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE
This month, Issue’s special guest is the Ambassador of Austria to Ankara, Klaus Wölfer, who says ‘Art is a love for me’. Ambassador Wölfer and his graceful wife Diane hosted us at their residence, where we took the opportunity to speak on many issues, ranging from art and diplomacy to his impressions of Turkey and the relationship between the two countries. The photographs taken to accompany the interview added a splash of color, and included the ambassador and his wife in traditional Austrian dress at their residence and enjoying a bike ride at Lake Eymir.
By M. Ferhat YÜKSEL
Klaus Wölfer, Ambassador of Austria to Turkey, has managed to combine his passion for art with his career as a diplomat. Before beginning his term of office in Ankara, Ambassador Wölfer was the Director of the Austrian Culture Institute in Rome and later on Director-General for the state funding of the arts at the Prime Ministry’s office in Vienna. In Ankara, he is able to continue to satisfy his passion for the arts by frequently opening the doors of the residence to cultural activities.
You have in your career taken on many duties that have allowed you to combine your passion for art and your diplomatic profession. Do you consider yourself lucky?
Art is an indispensable part of my life and that is why I have seized the opportunity to combine my ‘main’ profession, diplomacy, and my cultural duties with great pleasure. The cultural representatives or ‘Culture Forums’ in the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are firmly embedded in the foreign representations network, and their directors are given wide creative freedom. After being the Director of the Culture Institute in Rome for six years, I was given an executive position managing Austria’s state funding for the arts. For Austria, art, theater, music, opera, festivals, cultural initiatives, and of course movies, are of great importance, primarily for identity formation, but at the same time for economic and touristic benefit.
EUROPE’S NEW CULTURAL CITY
How would you evaluate the developing art culture in Turkey?
I have observed great developments with respect to art in Turkey, and Istanbul in particular has started to be considered a European cultural city in recent years. Ten years ago, my friends would ask me “Have you ever been to Istanbul?” but now they ask, “What are the latest cultural trends in Istanbul?” This is not just related to Topkapı Palace, as Istanbul has grown and advanced its art culture alongside the biennials and the cultural activities carried out by such notable benefactors as the Sabancı family.
Are you able to follow art and culture in Ankara?
I do my best, I go to the opera with great pleasure, but my greatest obstacle is lack of time and my busy work schedule.
Do you play any musical instruments?
I learned to play the piano when I was a child, and joining the choir and dancing are just as much a part of the Austrian tradition as skiing.
Is there a particular kind of music that you enjoy?
I like all kinds of quality music – from Baroque to Mozart, from the Beatles to the latest trends in the world.
Coming to your diplomatic role, at what level is the relationship between Turkey and Austria today?
Turkey and Austria have a close and long-standing relationship. The first ambassador from Vienna came to Turkey in the middle of the 16th century, and I am the 61st envoy to take up the role, which is a reflection of just how old and deep-rooted our relationship is. In Istanbul, there is a very old Embassy building, an Austrian Hospital that has been providing services for many years, and the Sankt Georg Kolleg, an Austrian High School, which was established in the 19th century. The St. Georg’s College in particular serves as a bridge from the past to the present in terms of our commercial and cultural relations. Every year, graduates of this school develop a close connection with Austria, and often go on to pursue their academic careers in Austria.
SPECIAL SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRATION
How does the Turkish minority in Austria affect the relationship between the two countries?
The Turks living in Austria are another important aspect of our relationship. They are a factor for Austria, given their position in both commercial and social spheres; accordingly, they are an essential bridge between our two countries. Austria is aware of the importance of the integration of the Turks, and it is for this reason that the government has established a special state secretariat responsible for integration. Last November, our State Secretary Sebastian Kurz visited Turkey and met with Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bağış, the Head of the Religious Affairs Secretariat, and the Presidency of the Turks Abroad and Related Communities organization.
How do the graduates of the Austrian High School contribute to the relationship between the two countries?
I can say that many graduates of the St. Georg College are involved in the commercial relations between the two countries. Furthermore, there are businessmen like Atilla Doğudan and fashion designers like Atıl Kutoğlu who have been very successful in Austria and are also Austrians. Moreover, in Austria there are Turkish people who are well-equipped for operating in the field of commerce. The fact that there is such a big Austrian school in Turkey is quite remarkable for Austrians, as the school in Istanbul can lay claim to being the oldest Austrian school operating abroad.
AUSTRIAN SUPPORT FOR THE EU PROCESS
What is Austria’s attitude regarding Turkey’s EU membership process?
Austria voiced its support for the initiation of negotiations, stating that at the end of the process, all requirements for full membership should be met. There have been some negative comments in Austria, but personally I believe that we should not shy away from openly discussing the pros and cons. The first chapter of Turkey’s EU accession talks happened to be closed during Austria’s presidency term in 2006. This shows that Austria is of course loyal to the process. The thing is that both in Europe and Turkey we often hear the question “Does Turkey have to join the EU?” implying the immediate future, but this is not the issue, as the issue is not related to today or the immediate future. These types of questions make the debate unnecessarily emotional and cause us to overlook important issues. Indeed, the accession process is very long and has been continuing for a long time, but as the process goes on, the EU and Turkey move closer, and the process produces positive results for both sides. If we take Croatia as an example, it has a population of only 4.3 million, and so obviously, their integration can be easier. Integrating a country the size of Turkey, whose population is 76 million, is a different matter altogether.
EU MEMBERSHIP IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE
Membership is indeed the icing on the cake. When it comes about, all major changes and adaptations have already been accomplished. In case Turkey were a member, you would realize that open borders, freedom of movement, and the involvement in the decision-making mechanisms are matched by big responsibilities to find compromises and subordinate yourself to majority decisions. It is harder for large countries to be included in these mechanisms and to move together with the others.
PROGRESS MADE SHOULD BE SHARED
What do you think about the decrease in interest and trust in the EU among Turkish people in recent years?
The Turkish government can help us by sharing with its citizens the importance of the process and the progress made. The process has progressed a lot in areas that are important for everyday life. I believe that if the Turkish people are aware of what has been gained and the distance traveled so far, the interest and trust that has been lost will be regained. The EU has allocated vast funds to accelerating Turkey’s modernization and integration process. In short, I believe the EU’s effort to bring Turkey closer to the union deserves to be recognized and publicized.
At what level are the economic relations between our two countries today?
Austrian businessmen have a deep trust in Turkey, and this facilitates Austrian investments. Our investments in Turkey are around 8 billion dollars. Even during and after the global financial crises of 2008 Austrian foreign investments in Turkey continued at a high pace. We are a small country of 8.5 million people, yet we are a relevant factor for the Turkish economy. If Austrians had not trusted Turkey or had a negative attitude towards Turkey, they would not have invested here.
POLITICAL AND CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP
Can you elaborate on the cultural interaction between the two countries?
We have a centuries-old tradition of interaction with an intense history that dates back at least to the 1700s. Then, interest in Turkish culture, particularly in terms of music and design, was intense. The Austrian Diplomatic Academy was established in Vienna known as the Oriental Academy, where Ottoman, Arabic and Persian cultures and languages were taught. An interest in the East emerged especially in Vienna, and partnerships were established in political and cultural spheres. Of course there were ups and downs, but the relationship between the two countries continued. In more recent history, the two empires fought together during World War I and shared the same destiny: after the war, two large multicultural, multinational and multi-religious empires were disintegrated. The remainders chose to re-establish themselves as republics. While the Turkish Republic was still much larger than the new republic of Austria, both countries had to deal with similar problems after the war.
WE SAW HOPE AND HAPPINESS
What is Austria’s attitude toward the Kurdish solution process in Turkey?
We, in the EU and Austria, view the process positively and share everyone’s hope. We continue to support the process and hope it ends well. We have declared several times that we are ready to lend a helping hand. During a recent visit to Van we, the EU ambassadors had the chance to hear about developments first-hand. It was striking to learn that since the beginning of this year there were no more funerals of young men on any of the sides. We saw hope and happiness with regard to this process.
You have traveled widely in Turkey, from Erzurum to Ephesus. How did you find Turkey’s social structure?
Ephesus was the venue for the meeting of our presidents Mr. Fischer and Mr. Gül, where Austrians had led the ancient excavations for more than 100 years. Turkey is a very large and special country with various different cultures. It has an impressive texture of people, moving from west to east, from east to west, as well as immigrants coming from abroad.
Austria is famous the world over for its winter tourism and has a vast experience in the sector. How can Turkey better exploit its own winter resorts?
Turkey’s geographical structure is suitable for winter tourism, and investments for winter sports are being made. Austria has considerable experience in this field and shared it with Turkey; for example, a number of cable cars and ski lifts in Turkey’s winter resorts are being constructed by Austrian companies. There are two essential issues that are worthy of note at this point. Firstly, logistics: facilities should be established in such a way that they can be used not only in winter but also during the other seasons; and secondly, the local population should fully participate in order to increase tourism efficiency. It is important that local people also know how to ski and practice sports, that they learn foreign languages and practice them with the tourists.
Have you had the chance to ski in Turkey?
Not yet. I wanted to ski in Kayseri last February but I had to cancel due to the heavy snowfall on the roads.
THE ESSENCE OF TURKISH PEOPLE: COURTESY AND RESPECT
What aspects of Turkish culture impress you the most?
I have witnessed great courtesy and respect, as the essence of the Turkish people, from the young to the old in Turkey, and I like this trait very much. Actually, Turkey is a country I would like to learn much more about in terms of its culture. I would like to learn your language, but due to my busy schedule, I do not have much time. I am also very interested in Turkish cinema and would like to see more works by such directors as Fatih Akın and Ferzan Özpetek.
Are you happy living in Turkey?
Turkey is a very familiar environment to us Austrians and we got used to it very easily. It is quite European in many ways. Living in Ankara is very comfortable. In the evenings, you can go out on foot to have coffee or beer. We like going to the Eymir or Gölbaşı lakes at the weekends very much, and I enjoy cycling around the lakes together with my wife. We also like to go to the cinema or spend time in our residence. We do sports together, and besides cycling, I also enjoy playing table tennis and badminton.
Which places have impressed you the most in Turkey?
Every time I turn a corner in Turkey, I am further impressed by its uniqueness. Amasra is a small but very nice place, and Göbeklitepe near Şanlıurfa was very impressive. Antakya I also liked very much, and Mersin, where we chose to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Bodrum is also charming, but if I had to choose, I would put the area between Antakya and Mersin at the top of the list. Lake Van appealed to me as a beautiful and romantic place.
Do you have any hobbies?
My greatest hobbies are the visual arts, like painting and photography. I attend art exhibitions whenever possible.
A VERY SPECIAL FATHER
Mrs. Wölfer, what can you tell us about Klaus Wölfer?
I grew up as an ambassador’s daughter, and it was difficult to establish a close relationship with my father because he worked so hard. In the past, the mother, father and child relationship was very different to today, but times have changed. Klaus is a very special father, and he is very concerned about the well-being of his children. At home, he loses his diplomatic identity, and we are able to forget that he is an ambassador. I am Indonesian by birth, but I became Austrian for Klaus. My husband is also a very good friend and he gives me a lot of confidence. I gave up my own career because of this confidence. I have a great love and respect for him, and will always support him and be by his side.
AMBASSADOR’S CHOICE: SALAD AND EZME (TOMATO PUREE)
Do you like Turkish cuisine? Which Turkish dishes do you enjoy the most?
I like Turkish food and cooking, and my husband likes making salads, especially ‘ezme’. Turkish food is prepared for us by our Turkish-Austrian cook. I think that we are pampered, having access to Turkish food all the time! I am a graduate of a Tourism and Hotel Management School, and that is why I like cooking a lot. If I were not an ambassador’s spouse, I would probably be a chef in a hotel.
