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When US President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan meet in Washington DC in early December, the two leaders will have no shortage of issues to discuss. Continued challenges in the broader Middle East and South Asia will most likely consume the majority of the leaders' time together.

In the past few years, Turkey has initiated an assertive and proactive diplomatic approach throughout the Middle East, seeking "zero problems" with neighbors and aiming to achieve strategic depth by expanding the zone of Turkish political and economic influence. Before and throughout the Iraq war, Turkey led an effort that brought Iraq's neighbors together to address issues of common interest. Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has initiated intensive bilateral diplomacy with many countries in the region, resulting in extensive bilateral agreements with two neighbors, Iraq and Syria, in October of this year.

The Obama administration has staked out an ambitious policy agenda for the Middle East and South Asia, with the center of gravity of US efforts shifting eastward towards the challenges of Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as Iran. The Obama administration will seek to remain engaged on the Arab-Israeli conflict and Iraq, but more resources and diplomatic attention are shifting towards South Asia and Iran. So far Obama's agenda remains a work in progress and has exhibited more continuity than change from the Bush administration's policies. In order to make meaningful progress, the US will require help from Turkey. Turkey and the US should work to coordinate their efforts towards common goals on the four main fronts of South Asia, Iraq, Iran and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

South Asia and Iraq are two areas where significant coordination seems quite likely. With the United States dedicating more resources on Afghanistan and Pakistan, it should look to Turkey to play a leadership role in helping stabilize those two countries. This past fall, Turkey pledged to increase the number of troops it has operating as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force. In addition to its military role, Turkey has demonstrated a willingness to use diplomacy and development assistance to help achieve progress in South Asia - Turkey has organized several high-level trilateral summits between Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to discuss cooperation on broad security issues, and Turkey has made important investments in education reform in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In Iraq, the United States and Turkey support a common goal - a secure and united Iraq that does not serve as a haven for terrorists. As the Obama administration continues its phased redeployment of troops, constructive actions on the part of Turkey can help mitigate the risks of the U.S. troop drawdown. In the past two years, Turkish-Iraqi coordination on a wide range of issues, including addressing the instability caused by the Kurdish rebel group the PKK, has increased, and Turkey has even improved its relations with the leadership of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil. The Turkey-Iraq Strategic Cooperation Council has forged dozens of bilateral agreements to enhance ties on security, energy, the economy, and water sharing. This increased cooperation between Turkey and Iraq can help facilitate Iraq's reintegration with the rest of the world after years of isolation under Saddam Hussein's regime.

On Iran and the Arab-Israeli conflict, Turkey and the United States may find more difficulty coordinating their actions. Turkey and the United States share the same long-term strategic goals on both fronts - they want to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is monitored and verified as being for civilian energy purposes, and both countries support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a means to advance a comprehensive settlement. But Turkey's geographic location and its economic and energy ties with Iran has led Turkey to take a different approach to its bilateral relations with Iran, one that is closer and friendlier than the United States might prefer. One question is whether Turkey can serve as a useful interlocutor with Iran - and time will tell if Turkish engagement changes Iran's strategic calculations.

On the Arab-Israeli conflict, the increased tensions between Turkey and Israel, including the recent cancellation of joint military exercises, is deeply concerning to the United States. Recent statements by Turkish leaders on Israel have damaged Turkey's credibility with many Israeli leaders, so much so that the days of Turkish mediation on issues such as the Israeli-Syrian track are probably over for good. It also remains to be seen whether Turkey's engagement with Hamas will serve any useful purpose for advancing progress on the Middle East peace process.

In summary, Turkey and United States are likely to be closer in coordinating on South Asia and Iraq than they will be on Iran and Arab-Israeli issues. But all of these matters require extensive discussion and diplomacy between the two NATO allies. President Obama signaled Turkey's importance to US foreign policy by including the country in his first overseas trip as president and endorsing Turkey's efforts to become a member of the European Union. President Obama has made improving bilateral ties between the United States and Turkey a top priority, and one key way to improve bilateral ties is to work towards common goals in the broader Middle East and South Asia.

Brian Katulis is a Senior Fellow at American Progress, where his work focuses on US national security policy in the Middle East and South Asia. He has also lived and worked in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and Egypt for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Related Material from the Atlantic Community:

• Gamze Avci: Turkey: Looking West, Moving East?
• Sonja Davidovic: Turkey is Key to Europe's Energy Diversification
• Ghassan Dahhan: Europe: Prevent Turkey Turning East
  

November 23, 2009

Member deleted

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I like this comment! What's this?

(1) EU probably would like to take the leadership role in some of those initiatives, as they had shown an eye on part of the mid-east, and another on part of Africa, as well.

(2) Turkey would not accept something like an "Associate EU Membership". Considering the on-going EU enlargement plan, Turkey is not the only one, a membership like a full member but without veto power should be looked at.

EU has never been called a democratic body due to unfair veto powers of all member states, this is probably a good time to rethink it.

November 23, 2009

Member deleted

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I like this comment! What's this?

It is interesting that the whole article hardly mentions EU, which approach describes well EU's sliding to second or third category as international player. Turkey's influence towards EU will increase as the country is becoming in few years the energy hub. Thinking about EU's role, organization and functionality one could ask why Turkey should join to it; from my point of view a privileged partnership with free trade etc benefits and without EU bureaucracy would be a better alternative.

Energy cooperation with Iran and Russia can make an alternative to US Silk Road strategy. Turkey's role could be constructive also in Balkans, with its secular experience it could help some Balkan countries to block invasion of Wahhabism/radical Islam.

Tags: | Turkey | Balkans |

November 23, 2009

Andrey Chubyk, Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI”, Silver Contributor (64)

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I like this comment! What's this?

The problems, arising around Turkey as transit country for Middle Asia energy sources, could make some obstacles on the way to progress of making closer relations both with EU and USA.
It could be reason that countries like Azerbaijan will develop technologies as compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas with the aim of having direct access to energy markets of main consumers.
So, it would be recommended to pay more attention on economic relations improvement rather then political bias. The history of EU had shown already, that pressure is not the best way to convince Brussels.

Tags: | Turkey | EU |

November 25, 2009

Urs Schrade, University of Heidelberg, Silver Contributor (36)

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I like this comment! What's this?

Mr. Katulis, thank you very much for your interesting article!

You, indeed, show the crucial role, Turkey could play in today's international relations - where one of the most important tasks is to bridge the gap between the western and the so called "Islamic" world.

As e.g. Ms. Marie Lall points out in her article "Analysis from Pakistan: Civil War between Army and Tribes" (recently published on AC), one of the West's (and particularly the US') biggest problems in dealing with Pakistan is their lack of legitimacy within the Pakistani population. This distrust (you may call it „anti-Americanism“) is rooted in both, fundamental cultural differences in general as well as in years of let's say „unlucky“ US-policy in the region, which is not only true for Pakistan but also Afghanistan and to a certain degree most states of the Middle East.

Turkey, standing culturally somewhat in between both, could serve as a mediator between the western and the „Islamic“ world, and thus fruitful enhance the dialogue between the opponents in order to promote solutions on key issues of global security concerns, especially the war in Afghanistan, state failing Pakistan and the „nuclear development“ in the middle east – which is why President Obama and the EU should put efforts in developing good relations towards, and a common strategic agenda with Turkey.

Tags: | Turkey | EU | Obama | Pakistan | US |

December 1, 2009

Khalid Ahmed Chaudry

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I like this comment! What's this?

Not only Untied States of America but the European Union needs Turkey more then ever. That's why EU should allow Turkey to become a member immediately.Keeping out of the EU is not in the advantage of the member states!!

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