Turkey’s Relations With Georgia, Russia and Iran
Excerpts from an article by Ihsan Dagi (click here for full text):
The war in the Caucasus is the number-one challenge. The conflict involves two indispensable partners for Turkey. Georgia is the only land corridor linking Turkey with the Caspian region and Central Asia, the center of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Maintaining cooperation with Georgia is therefore crucial for Turkey’s strategic width, reaching out the Caspian and Central Asia. Russia, in recent years, has become an important economic partner for Turkey. [JW: much of Turkey’s natural gas comes from Russia.] The early political tension in the aftermath of the cold war was overcome with a strategy of cooperation in the economic and political arenas. But this was based on a non-assertive policy in the Caucasus and Central Asia on the part of both Turkey and Russia. With the invasion of Georgia, it seems that Russia has now moved to an assertive policy in the region, claiming a zone of influence. Instead of confronting Russia bilaterally, the Turkish response has been to propose multilateral diplomacy by suggesting a Caucasia Stability and Cooperation Platform. The idea of the Caucasia Stability and Cooperation Platform sounds timely and functional, but may be unrealistic given the global and regional dynamics. … What about the role of Iran? Such a platform cannot be established by excluding Iran, which has always had a great interest in Caucasian affairs…
[R]ecent developments in the Caucasus vindicate Turkey’s attempts to diversify its energy resources and reduce its dependence on Russian gas. [JW: by strengthening its energy ties with Iran.] The same is true for Europe, as well. The crisis may, therefore, be an opportunity for Europe to engage with Iran, instead of Russia, as a country linking Caspian and Central Asian energy resources to Europe.
Asagi tukursen sakal, yukari tukursen biyik!
Why is it that bad guys have the resources? Or is it the possession of resources that is creating bad guys?
Between Putin’s Russia and mullahs’ Iran, prospects are not pretty! Energy diversification isn’t sufficient justification imo for bowing before these regimes. Not that I think Turkey is in a position to lead some charge against evil-doers, but I would like to see some ’shock and awe’ changes towards Northern Iraq & Kerkuk (/w oil). We should cut a deal with the autonomous entity there, sign defense, non-aggression and other necessary agreements with them, guarantee our allience with them even in the worst of circumstances like Iraq’s disintegration. This is not only something that may work (I’d like to see Iranian and Russian reactions to it), but also the right thing to do. I am tired of Turkey’s self-aggrevation with post-2003 anti-American sentiments.