written by Habibe Özdal printable version send your friend

Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will pay a one-day visit to Turkey on Thursday. The visit was planned during a phone conversation between Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan[1]. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the meeting first, during the July 8 meeting in Ankara with Patriarch Kiril II of Moscow and All Russia. The two leaders most recently met in May in Sochi, Russia, where they discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh problem between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Since Russia plays a leading role in the sectors of energy and tourism, Putin’s visit to Turkey draws attention. Talks are expected to focus on energy cooperation considering the growing Turkish role in projects to carry gas and oil to Europe. Moreover, current regional and international issues are also expected to be evaluated.

According to the agencies, Turkey and Russia would sign three protocols on bilateral cooperation - in the oil, gas and nuclear spheres. Bear in mind, Turkey has decided to build its first nuclear power plant at Mersin-Akkuyu. News reports say Russia may make a new proposal on the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant[2]; Ankara has asked Russia to lower its cost estimate.[3] It is worth noting that Ankara plans to build a nuclear plant in the hope of preventing a possible energy shortage and reducing dependence on foreign supplies. 

Even though the meeting is expected to focus on energy, since Turkey and Russia have multi-faceted relations many other issues, such as economic cooperation, regional issues and international developments (Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey-Armenia relations, Russia-NATO relations and developments in the Middle East and the Caucasus) will be on the table.

It is also worth noting that the meeting will be held just one week after the Nabucco deal was signed, and two days before of the anniversary of the August 2008 Georgia-Russia war. Developments on energy projects and high politics in the Caucasus and the Middle East highlight once more Turkey’s regional status and strategic struggles in the immediate vicinity and the importance of the Putin’s visit to Turkey.

As is well known Turkey has an important place in Nabucco, which is going to transport Caspian gas to Austria via Turkey[4] since European countries are searching for alternative energy suppliers to Russia. On the other hand, because Nabucco is the only project against the Russian energy supply monopoly, Russia will undoubtedly do everything in its power to prevent it. News agencies also claim that Putin will look for potential cooperation areas with Turkey regarding South Stream pipeline.[5]

Moreover this is not to say that the current developments on the energy issue would overthrow Turkey-Russia relations. Turkey’s relations with Russia are multi-dimensional. Different stances on some particular issues (such as the Georgia-Russia dispute) will not limit the cooperation of the two countries. Turkey and Russia have more common than opposing positions. Moreover as Foreign Minister Davutoglu stated, “Moscow supports Yerevan-Ankara rapprochement, and also playing a positive role in the Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue reconciliation”. As for Nagorno Karabakh; both Russia and Turkey are looking for a solution. Considering common approaches to regional and international issues, it would be more appropriate to consider Russia as a neighbor, since trade volume totals $ 38 billion[6], rather than a country with which Turkey has disputes.