TURKEY’S REGIONAL PRETENSIONS

Interview with specialist on Turkey Hakob Chaqryan

– Can we assume that difficult time will come in the relations Turkey-Middle East countries?

– Turkey has already significantly suffered from its hostile attitude towards Syria. On the initiative of Prime Minister Rejep Tayib Erdoghan and “Justice and prosperity” party trade-economic relations started to develop with the region’s countries. Turkey invested in Gulf countries – Quwait, Katar, UAE, Saudi Arabia. Goods freight was implemented via Syria-Lebanon-Israel-Egypt-Persian Gulf. Turkey-Syria relations became hostile, and now Syria doesn’t allow the goods to be transported сухопутно by land on trucks. There are no good relations with Iraq as well, with Iran it can’t implement transportation, that’s why the goods are transferred to Egypt on ferry and from there – to other countries. When on July 3rd a coup d’etat was implemented by Egypt Defense Minister Abdulla Fattah al Sisi, the Turkish ferries were not allowed even to come close, which brought to trade collapse with the regional countries. The border trade of bordering provinces with Syria was also stopped. Here Turkey also faced big economic losses. Here there were more than 50 casualties of Turkey citizens.

If the Turkish armed forces would even participate in military operations in Syria, USA has no role for Turkey in the context of decision-making. The USA don’t give such possibilities even to EU countries, so Turks would not be given definitely. Turkey has tensed relations also with Iran, since Iran was against stationing of Zenith-Rocket complexes Patriot on the Turkey-Syria border.

SHOUSHAN STEPANYAN