Unfortunately, few people question the true meaning of these events. Instead of what Ehud Barak and the Turkish authorities have said to each other, the media insist on how courteous the Turkish side was to him, or who met with him and who didn’t, believing that these provide enough information to understand the future of Turkish-Israeli relations. As for Ağca, the debate revolves around whether he will be conscripted for military service or if he will write a new version of the Bible.
Both of these events are essential to understanding Turkey’s near past. During the Cold War, the relationship between Turkey and Israel was a perfect example of interstate relations conducted by military bureaucracies. This alliance was established because the global balances of power dictated it, but its cost to the two countries’ democracies has never been thoroughly studied. Likewise, no one is yet able to give a clear answer about who was behind Ağca when he wounded Pope John Paul II, after having assassinated Abdi İpekçi. Let’s hope that people will soon be bored about the “celebrity” aspect of this news and start thinking more about its meaning because present debates are not only slowing down the necessary analyses that should be done about the domestic political arena but also avoid bringing up important diplomatic developments.
One of these developments is the World Future Energy Summit 2010, being held in Abu Dhabi at the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The summit’s goal is to discuss renewable and clean energy resources. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech there, and it appears that he wants to use this trip to reinforce Turkey’s relations with the region’s energy-providing countries. That’s why the prime minister will also visit Saudi Arabia following the summit.
The summit’s importance must not be minimized. It is worth noting that China sent the biggest delegation and thereby demonstrates that it, like many other countries, is uncomfortable with the world’s growing energy dependency on Russia. With this gesture, China is also paving the way for its new Middle East policy, which will be in tune with its Africa policy. However, Beijing’s growing influence disturbs both Russia and the US, and this common displeasure may provide an acceptable excuse for these countries if they decide to act together. Furthermore, the Arab countries’ China policies may affect the balances in the Middle East. In order to preserve the current balance, Russia and the US will probably have to develop new policies for the region. Maybe Prime Minister Erdoğan has something to say about this, and he definitely has a few words to say about Iran in this context.
All this becomes more significant when one takes into account that US President Barack Obama has invited Erdoğan to a nuclear energy summit. Turkey’s recent efforts to set up a civilian nuclear energy program are no secret. Turkey intends to cooperate with Russia on the issue at a time when there is a serious crisis on this very subject with Iran. Turkey’s efforts will help balance Iran’s eventual influence when it becomes a nuclear energy producer.
International energy summits have become arenas where the new global system takes shape. That is why Turkey’s positions in this domain also indicate from which perspective one should analyze news reports about Ağca and disagreements with Israel.
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