Imagine Turkey Reviving The Ottoman Empire
February 25, 2010
Martin McCauley writes: The news that former chiefs of the Navy and Air Force and many other military figures have been arrested in Turkey has sent shock waves through the country. Are the military preparing a coup against the civilian government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Imagine a meeting of the PM, his Cabinet and advisers to decide how to proceed. PM: ‘As you know, I gave orders to arrest many top military men and others because our intelligence services told me that something fishy was going on. How do we present this news to the Turkish people and the world?’ Voice: ‘We don’t want to give the impression that we and not the military are staging a coup. We want to give the impression that these military plotters are right wing extremists who do not believe in democracy....
Are Uyghurs Running A Terrorist Network In Turkey And China?
October 7, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: A Turkish Minister of State paid a visit to China not long ago to discuss matters of ‘mutual interest’. He was the first Turkish senior government official to visit the Middle Kingdom since the Urumqi riots, in the Xinjiang autonomous region, last July. Official figures put the number of people who died in these riots at 197. Turks and Uyghurs share common ethnic and linguistic roots. After the People’s Republic reclaimed Eastern Turkestan (Xinjiang) in 1949, Uyghurs began to leave. There are now about 80,000 living in Turkey. There are two extremist Uyghur organisations present in Turkey: The East Turkestan Liberation Organisation (DTKO) and the East Turkestan Islamic Organisation. However, the latter now appears to be inactive since the death of...
Turkey And Brazil To Search For Oil and Gas In The Black Sea
May 27, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has recently visited Turkey. Before that he had visited China and Saudi Arabia as part of his world tour. His main aim was to expand bilateral trade. President Lula da Silva told Turkish businessmen that the two countries had so far failed to realise their full potential for cooperation. Brazil, he said, would welcome increased Turkish investment. Trade turnover this year will be about $1.5 billion. Areas in which there was great scope for cooperation included energy, construction, the automobile industry, production of household appliances and tourism. The Brazilian President also stressed that the multibillion stimulus package which is underway in Brazil at present would ensure continued rapid growth and ensure its recovery...
Turkey Faces A New Threat From Left Wing Violence
May 5, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: Turkish police raided 60 different addresses in Istanbul recently searching for members of the new left wing militant group Devrimci Karagah (DK or Revolutionary Base). Forty suspects were arrested. A gunfire battle raged for over six hours at one address. One of the militants, a policeman and a civilian were killed and seven policemen were injured. Materials seized during the raids revealed that the DK is a left wing revolutionary movement with links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). This was not the first incident in which the DK was involved. In August 2008, it attacked the 1st Army headquarters in Istanbul. No damage or casualties were reported then. In December 2008, it launched an assault on the Istanbul office of the ruling Justice and Development...
The New Realities In The Middle East: Is Turkey Forging A Military Alliance With Syria?
May 3, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: A week ago, on April 27, Turkey and Syria began the first ever joint military exercises on their border. The three day land exercises involved an exchange of units to improve joint training and the ability to work together. More joint exercises in the future are planned. Both countries also signed a bilateral security cooperation agreement to enhance collaboration between their respective defence industries. In Israel, these developments caused deep concern and brought into question the state of military ties with Turkey.The Israeli Minister of Defence referred to the exercises as ‘disturbing’ but thought that his country’s strategic relations would survive intact. Israel has stated that it is monitoring the events very closely to define their purpose and...
China And Turkey Increase Their Military Cooperation. What Is Behind It?
April 23, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: Last month, General Hasan Aksay, commander of the Turkish military academies, paid a visit to China.This was not the first visit of a high ranking Turkish military official. There have been 18 delegations since 1985 and 14 Chinese military visits to Turkey. General Aksay was not senior enough to launch any new initiative. However, some observers think there was to his trip than meets the eye. Military collaboration has been steadily increasing during the last 15 years. Turkey was a member of the UN force during the Korean War (1950-53). Fighting was ferocious and over 25,000 Turks saw service there. Casualties were high: over 700 men were killed and over 2,100 wounded. As a result of the conflict Turkey became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in October...
China’s Role In The Middle East Is Growing. Lubricated By Oil
March 10, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: The vacuum left by the previous US Administration in the Middle East leaves lots of room for other players to occupy. Turkey has been becoming more ambitious in recent years to play a bigger role in the region and Russia is keen to increase its influence in the area by presenting itself as a key player in resolving the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But what about that other emerging world power, China? Is Beijing following a carefully mapped out policy? China’s main interest in the Middle East is oil. Trade comes second with the possibility of getting access to the lucrative consumer markets in the region. Then comes investment: economic clout builds political clout. Not surprisingly, China is now trying to establish closer relations with the most influential...
Turkey Wants To Speak For Africa In The UN Security Council
February 27, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: Turkish President Abdullah Gul has just completed a visit to Kenya and Tanzania. The President thus becomes the first Turkish head of state to visit these sub-Saharan states. Kenya and Turkey signed an agreement on civil aviation and health care. Turkish Airlines has begun direct flights between Istanbul and Nairobi. In Tanzania, Gul pointed out that all but two African states had supported Turkey’s candidature for a non-permanent seat for 2009 and 2010 in the UN Security Council. The Republic of Turkey, he said, will be the ‘voice of Africa in the UN. It will support Africa on all issues’. Gul mentioned that over 60 per cent of the issues which come before the UN Security Council relate to Africa. The President’s tour is a continuation of the...
Russia And Turkey: A New Strategic Partnership?
February 19, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: Abdullah Gul, President of Turkey, has just completed a four day visit to Russia. He met President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and other officials. He also travelled to Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, where there were discussions about joint investment projects. Gul was accompanied by his minister of foreign trade, the minister of energy and a large group of Turkish businessmen. When the trip was announced by Moscow it was billed as an ‘official visit’ but was then upgraded to a ‘state visit’, the highest level of state protocol. Clearly Moscow regarded Gul’s presence to be of strategic importance. Presidents Gul and Medvedev signed a joint declaration which commits both states to deepen relations and cooperation. Trade turnover...
Is Al Qaeda Preparing To Attack Turkey? It Looks Possible
February 8, 2009
Martin McCauley writes: The recent conflict in Gaza has stoked anti-Israeli sentiment in the Middle East. It appears to have increased the possibility of al Qaeda attacks against Jewish targets in Turkey. In the light of this El Al, the Israeli airline, has suspended flight to and from Antalya. A Turkish newspaper reported that the CIA had informed Israeli and Turkish authorities that al Qaeda members had entered Turkey to carry out attacks on Israeli tourists. The report also mentioned that al Qaeda may also be trying to attack airports at Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya. Originally the reason given for suspending El Al flights to Antalya was that Turkish authorities would not permit armed Israeli guards on board. Another Israeli airline, Sun D’Or, has announced it is suspending flight...
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