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TURKEY DEEPENS IMPRINT IN CENTRAL ASIA
Michael Moreland
Atlantic Sentinel
http://atlanticsentinel.com/2012/06/turkey-deepens-imprint-in-central-asia/
June 19 2012
By adding Turkey as a partner and Afghanistan as an observer, the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization pushed forward with its initiative
to strengthen the regional powers' ability to combat terrorism,
extremism and drug trafficking.
Turkey has been a major factor in Central Asia's development in
the aftermath of the Soviet collapse and has expressed interest in
creating even stronger ties with the region.
Turkey and Afghanistan will be an asset for Central Asia as it
struggles to overcome and destroy the expansive drug trade that
is undermining national institutions. By increasing aspects of
cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization hopes that regional
interdependence will grow and the region will be able to modernize.
Although much of its involvement in Afghanistan has been as a part
of the largely Western coalition operating in the country, Turkey
has taken a leadership role in many aspects of NATO operations and
has stated that it will pursue independent, close political ties
with Afghanistan even after the rest of the coalition packs up and
heads home.
As a new SCO dialogue partner, Turkey has expressed particular concern
about curtailing international terrorism in the region, as well as
crimes such as human and drug trafficking.
Analysis
Turkey is strategically positioning itself as the key player
bridging the SCO in the east and NATO in the west through its unique
relationship to Central Asia. Partnering with the SCO marks a logical
step towards Turkey's pan-Turkic economic and strategic expansion
into the region.
Turkish expansion into Central Asia is driven by geopolitical forces
of Turkic identity, strategic interest and economic profitability. As
Turkey geographically bridges Asia with Europe, so will it bridge
the strategic blocs of NATO and the SCO in Central Asia. Moreover,
as the perceived standard bearer of Turkic ethnic identity, Ankara
is uniquely positioned to play a central role in Central Asia.
This could be beneficial for both NATO and the SCO, as Turkey can
facilitate productive avenues for cooperation between the two security
blocs. There are, however, several regional political entities that
will not be happy to see Turkey consolidate its spheres of influence
across Central Asia-Armenia, the Kurds and Iran.
Since the forced expulsion and unacknowledged genocide of ethnic
Armenians from Turkey in the early twentieth century, Armenia has had
a bitter relationship with the Turkish Government. Armenian diasporas
in Western countries, as well as in Russia, have proven to wield
considerable political influence in foreign policy decisions. The
violence and territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia
and Azerbaijan is one issue that may put Turkey at odds with SCO
member state Russia.
Ethnic Kurds throughout eastern Turkey, Iraq and Iran also have reason
to fear a Turkish partnership with the SCO. Ankara has long refused
to fully recognize Kurdish ethnic identity within its own borders
and has long fought against Kurdish nationalist and terrorist groups,
even going so far as to launch incursions into neighboring Iraq.
Iran is also interested in pursuing a similar strategy of expansion
into Central Asia, following historical ethnic paths to make strategic
inroads with ethnic Persians (i.e., Persian related speakers in
Afghanistan and Tajikistan). Iran, however, is already a key partner
with several SCO countries and an observer country itself.
As the only NATO member country within the SCO, Turkey could well
position itself as a useful dialogue state. With no credible assurance
of European Union membership and a unique NATO status, a place at
the inner circle of the SCO may leave Turkey with no other choice
but to become a third party broker state linking strategic blocs,
if not becoming a regional power unto itself.
Michael Moreland
Atlantic Sentinel
http://atlanticsentinel.com/2012/06/turkey-deepens-imprint-in-central-asia/
June 19 2012
By adding Turkey as a partner and Afghanistan as an observer, the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization pushed forward with its initiative
to strengthen the regional powers' ability to combat terrorism,
extremism and drug trafficking.
Turkey has been a major factor in Central Asia's development in
the aftermath of the Soviet collapse and has expressed interest in
creating even stronger ties with the region.
Turkey and Afghanistan will be an asset for Central Asia as it
struggles to overcome and destroy the expansive drug trade that
is undermining national institutions. By increasing aspects of
cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization hopes that regional
interdependence will grow and the region will be able to modernize.
Although much of its involvement in Afghanistan has been as a part
of the largely Western coalition operating in the country, Turkey
has taken a leadership role in many aspects of NATO operations and
has stated that it will pursue independent, close political ties
with Afghanistan even after the rest of the coalition packs up and
heads home.
As a new SCO dialogue partner, Turkey has expressed particular concern
about curtailing international terrorism in the region, as well as
crimes such as human and drug trafficking.
Analysis
Turkey is strategically positioning itself as the key player
bridging the SCO in the east and NATO in the west through its unique
relationship to Central Asia. Partnering with the SCO marks a logical
step towards Turkey's pan-Turkic economic and strategic expansion
into the region.
Turkish expansion into Central Asia is driven by geopolitical forces
of Turkic identity, strategic interest and economic profitability. As
Turkey geographically bridges Asia with Europe, so will it bridge
the strategic blocs of NATO and the SCO in Central Asia. Moreover,
as the perceived standard bearer of Turkic ethnic identity, Ankara
is uniquely positioned to play a central role in Central Asia.
This could be beneficial for both NATO and the SCO, as Turkey can
facilitate productive avenues for cooperation between the two security
blocs. There are, however, several regional political entities that
will not be happy to see Turkey consolidate its spheres of influence
across Central Asia-Armenia, the Kurds and Iran.
Since the forced expulsion and unacknowledged genocide of ethnic
Armenians from Turkey in the early twentieth century, Armenia has had
a bitter relationship with the Turkish Government. Armenian diasporas
in Western countries, as well as in Russia, have proven to wield
considerable political influence in foreign policy decisions. The
violence and territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia
and Azerbaijan is one issue that may put Turkey at odds with SCO
member state Russia.
Ethnic Kurds throughout eastern Turkey, Iraq and Iran also have reason
to fear a Turkish partnership with the SCO. Ankara has long refused
to fully recognize Kurdish ethnic identity within its own borders
and has long fought against Kurdish nationalist and terrorist groups,
even going so far as to launch incursions into neighboring Iraq.
Iran is also interested in pursuing a similar strategy of expansion
into Central Asia, following historical ethnic paths to make strategic
inroads with ethnic Persians (i.e., Persian related speakers in
Afghanistan and Tajikistan). Iran, however, is already a key partner
with several SCO countries and an observer country itself.
As the only NATO member country within the SCO, Turkey could well
position itself as a useful dialogue state. With no credible assurance
of European Union membership and a unique NATO status, a place at
the inner circle of the SCO may leave Turkey with no other choice
but to become a third party broker state linking strategic blocs,
if not becoming a regional power unto itself.