Turkey abandons the West in favour of an alliance with Moscow

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 14:32

By Gregory R. Copley (Courtesy of AHIF)

The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom have, as yet, failed to come to terms with the reality — already recognized by France and other states — that Turkey has effectively abandoned its reliance on the West and is now entering into a fundamental strategic alliance with Russia.

This, ultimately, transforms how the European Union (EU) must deal with Turkey on the matter of the Turkish military occupation of Northern Cyprus, but it does not make the Cyprus situation any less complex. It also transforms the meaning and future viability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).



Full text available here: http://ahiworld.org/AHIFpolicyjournal/?p=18



I warn you though, you will need to sit down with an Efes or two whilst reading the narrative.

It certainly presents some interesting alternatives to the normal scenario of Turkey 'needing' membership of EU.

Enjoy

AJ

mikelapta



Joined: 20/11/2008
Posts: 2186

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 14:53

Going out for Efes to re-read tonight,a few times.

Dave I believe the Westgave Turkey no choice but to find a new alliance.And if NATO thought that Russia would sit down whilst USA courted the former Soviet States,they thought wrong.

What is personally worrying for me,all I hear is how many more Russians are coming.They want a nice seaside resort,and expansion south.

Well more tomorrow after the re-read and the Efes

Mike

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 15:31

I'll try and find some EFES.....



But, I wonder if it will explain, how - if TR is moving towards Russia, why TR did a deal to make their own alternative energy pipeline - which "annoyed" Russia? ;)

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 15:40

mark



Power play.



you always need a few aces up your sleeve.

Dusterbruce


Joined: 03/08/2007
Posts: 1125

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 15:44

mmmmmm



I think Efes is available in Tesco and Morrisons stores. Dont know about ASDA or Sainsbury's.

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 16:00

ROBnJO



Spot on.



Mark

Well who now knows what Turkeys game plan is?

It must be causing an awful of consternation in America and the EU/West at the moment.



By the way did you notice who published the text on the internet?

Just in case you didn't: Published by the American Hellenic Institute Foundation.



AJ

yunus



Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 327

Message Posted:
23/07/2009 22:10

hellenic being the key word dear mmmmmm



and that's what happens if you dont stick to efes !

Arthur


Joined: 04/11/2008
Posts: 687

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 00:18

It's all greek to me Yunus!!

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 00:29

The last thing Turkey needs is an alliance with Russia,and I believe they will know that.



Noticed the bit about how Russia will be better for Cyprus as it doesnt support the trnc as much as US and UK. Cant say I have noticed. But yet again we have this 'Cyprus, centre of the universe' stuff.

Just as we had everyone in the EU discussing Cyprus, we will have everyone in Moscow now discussing it.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 09:46

Dear Yunus re msg 7



WHY do you think I visited Pyla / Pile - to do my beer run?! I could buy Efes, etc and no issues with RoC customs ;)



Re msg 5 - Dusterbruce



Thanks for the tip.. I've seen it.. and Baltika - a Russian beer - but I "resist".. as I have this thing about drinking the beer in it's homeland..;) ..Something to look forward to !



re AJ msg 6

>>Just in case you didn't: Published by the American Hellenic Institute Foundation. <<



Thanks, AJ, I didn't honestly notice ! It doesn't change my opinion;)

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 09:56

AJ my fine friend, why do you always find any oportunity to

1. Oppose any sort of settlement in Cyprus

2. Find reasons to justify Turkeys non inclusion in the EC



If you do not wish to enter the 21C I know a very good shepards hut near Kantara, you can get a donkey and eat olives and cheese and be sublimely happy.



But wheather you agree, accept or wish just to ignore C

There will be a setlement here in Cyprus, Turkey will enter the EC at some point and the Cyprus Queen will change its name back to the Corner Bar

yunus



Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 327

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 11:25

dear mmmmmm re msg 10



the roc customs must be nice people.



very very nice people

Lambousa Gordon


Joined: 03/11/2007
Posts: 1992

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 12:08

Ha ha ha ha ha - haven't laughed so much since Aunty Mabel caught her left...



... and the source for this fabulous work of fiction is... (drum rolls) ...



The AHIF Policy Journal

Published by the American Hellenic Institute Foundation



A Washington Greek Lobby who's raison d'etre is to try to drive a wedge in the US and Turkey's strategic alliance. Please note the author of this piece quotes as evidence, wait for it, another piece written by himself.



Personally, I wouldn't mind closer Russo-Turkic links, closer than they are already given the enormous levels of trade between the two and the (not-always sympathetic) links via the 'Stans, and the amount of mixed Russian-Turkish marriages etc etc.



But it won't happen at the expense of Top-Level US-Turkish ties. Ties that weathered Iraq and Dubya Bush and now seem to be getting stronger. Was not for nothing that Nabucco was signed shortly after President Obama's visit.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 12:43

Dear Gordon



re msg 13



ell explained, and reasoned - as always !





re msg 12



Yunus



You may have misunderstood - I could buy as much beer as I liked without having to deal with RoC customs - I have no problem with any customs - they are just doing their job.. I didn't have to worry about the EU Green Line Regulations - which would STILL have applied at the SBA - and are more rigorously enforced than by the RoC customs !



There USED to be a RoC customs as one left Pyla - heading into the RoC proper - from the UN area - but it has long gone, and everyone knew how to drive around it, anyway ))



more...

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 12:48

cont

Lastly, something Ismet can remember and laugh about - back in 2003 - when the gates opened a Customs Law was hastily set up - pre EU Membership...



A friend and I had visited Ismet and we went for a meal at a restaurant owned by a Turk ( not TC) .. We had a GREAT meal, and I left a tip - the owner returned with two TR wines - one red and one white..



We left them on the back seat on open disply and a TC SBA Policeman asked us if we had BOUGHT anything in the "north" ...We honestly replied "NO".



"what are these", he said - referring to the two wines bottles.... " A gift - not bought".. I replied.



Well, they were seized as they were deemed to be more than 250ml of alcohol - the rule at the time.



I protested -pointing out that the alcohol content in total was less than 250ml and when passing through - with Ismet - we were allowed the bottles back )

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 18:12

Interesting article in he Economist. No mention whatsoever of Turkeys supposed alliance with Russia, although I do acknowledge that Russia is Turkeys biggest trading partner.



Some interesting items in the article



*Turkey was the first country to congratulate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran on his election result in Iran. Seems this is part of Turkeys strategy. Keep close to Muslim countries so that they can be the bridge between the West and Arabia. This keeps Turkey useful.



*Turkeys ability to live in different worlds, muslim, Europe etc prompted Hilary Clinton to describe Turkey as an 'emerging global power'. Personally, I think Clinton is trying to boost Turkeys ego but it does highlight Turkeys importance to the US



*Credit for Turkeys soft power strategy is granted to Davutoglu, Turkeys foreign minister. He has two key strategies 1) to have zero problems with Turkeys neighbours 2) to have political depth, that is to increase Turkeys economic and cultural influence



*

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
24/07/2009 18:13

In the balkans, the south Caucasus and the middle east.



*The article states that Turkey is determined to join the EU. Turkish leaders believe that the EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs them, because of oil pipeline. Davutoglu is hopeful that the Greek Orthodox seminary on the island Halki of Istanbul will soon be reopened. He believes that the Turkish-Greek Cypriot talks should not be open ended. He wants a deal struck by the end of this year.



*Turkey has had a falling out with its neighbour Azerbaijan over Armenia and China over the Turk people



Davutoglu says “we have excellent relations with the US at every level” and he notes a Western official “when it comes to Turkey and Armenia, Turkey wins every time”