Benign Relations in an Unfriendly Region

By: Mir-Mahmoud Mousavi.

In its new era, namely after the two world wars, Turkey’s foreign policy had focused on expansion of relations with the West. Considering the bipolar atmosphere of the world during those days, by joining NATO and consequently the Western Block, Ankara calibrated its foreign relations to the Western block’s indices.

Nonetheless, during the past three decades, considerable shifts took place in Turkey’s foreign policy. From the 80’s onwards, when Turgut Özal came to power as Turkey’s prime minister, several changes were introduced and indoctrinated in the country’s foreign policy. A paradigm shift in the relations with Pakistan and Afghanistan are clear instances of these changes. In the 80’s, Özal visited Pakistan-- a step taken to improve relations. Özal’s visit was aligned with his economic policies, while later during the presidency of General Zia ul-Haq in Pakistan, he focused on his political agenda.

In the beginning of the 90’s, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Turkey reoriented its foreign policy. Ankara found Central Asia, with a majority of Turkic denizens, as its new sphere of influence. (In Turkey’s new-era foreign policy, redefined after the Soviet Union’s dissolution, the country obliges itself to establish relations with any Turkic-speaking country. Afghanistan is no exception in this regard. The large Uzbek minority and the small Turkmen minority in Afghanistan can serve as Ankara’s political and cultural foothold in this country. General Dostum, the most prominent Uzbek figure in Afghanistan, was supported -and hosted for a short period- by Turkey). Domestic developments, most important of all the political victory of Islamist Necmettin Erbakan, prompted Turkey to define a new and different foreign policy, and to reconsider cooperation with the Muslim World and the regional countries as a beneficial option. In this framework, Erbakan founded the D8 -the eight developing Islamic countries group including Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and Nigeria. His initiative resonated badly, especially for the omnipotent army: the generals lost their patience and mounted a coup to dismiss Erbakan and put an end to his pan-Islamist moves, although they failed to fully terminate his project.

From the 2000s, more precisely from the day the AKP came to power, Erbakan’s approach was intensively and extensively followed in the country’s foreign policy, with new spheres introduced within the framework. Since 2009 and the appointment of Ahmet Davutoglu as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the approach gained momentum. Along with its traditionally strong relations with the West, Turkey is intent on cementing ties with its neighbors in North Africa, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, and with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Turkey’s Viewpoint on Pakistan and Afghanistan

Pakistan’s and Afghanistan’s importance to Turkey is primarily geopolitical. Viewed as a unified entity, Pakistan and Afghanistan border the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. While it is linked to the Atlantic Ocean via the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey is located quite distantly from the Indian Ocean and the rising Asian giants, namely China and India. Accessing the Indian Ocean littoral states is a key motive of Turkey’s zealous attempts to have good relations with the Arab countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Turkey’s interests in the AfPak region can be also explained by the ample economic capacities of the region. The 180-million population of Pakistan and 30-million population of Afghanistan provide a market that cannot be ignored. The presence of Turkish soldiers in the service of NATO’s forces in Afghanistan finds meaning within this context. It is natural that Turkey tends to have good support for its military forces via a political presence in the region.

Turkey’s general policy necessitates its presence in the region and an extension of its sphere of influence.  Turkey enjoys warm relations with Islamabad while luckily, shares no borders with this conflict-ridden state. Apart from sharing the same religion –the Sunni denomination of Islam-- non-existence of territorial disputes is a contributing factor to the close relations, though a permanent strategic alliance between the two countries sounds far-fetched.

Pakistan’s Viewpoint on relations with Turkey

Pakistan has experienced serious challenges after independence; first and foremost of which has been to define an exclusive identity that distinguishes the country from India. Pakistan’s tendency to establish close relations with Muslim countries such as Turkey -as one of the most powerful Islamic countries- stems from this attitude. On the other hand, Islamabad is in dire need of stable relations with Turkey to preserve the existing power balance in the Indian Subcontinent. As the country is literally dwarfed by India’s size, population and economic and military capabilities, Pakistan clings to every opportunity that can mitigate its vulnerability. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran assumed the role of Pakistan’s elder brother from a political and military aspect; and Tehran actually supported Islamabad during its battles with New Delhi over the disputed Kashmir region.

At the time of the Cold War, Pakistan was incorporated into the Western Block, while communist Soviet Union and socialist India enjoyed strong relations. After the collapse of the Eastern Block and end of the bipolar order, the Subcontinent actors reconsidered their policies: India-Russia relations transformed in nature and New Delhi’s reforms pushed it closer towards Washington, Pakistan’s long-time ally. Pakistan, also affected by the new world order, had to search for new friends, and it came up with Turkey.

Afghanistan’s Viewpoint on Relations with Turkey

Throughout its history, Afghanistan has been forced to meet the challenges of both domestic and international threats. The Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan ushered in a bleak era for the country and was the advent of the Afghans’ oppression by foreign powers. Continuous wars lasting for three decades leveled the country to the ground, rendering the country heavily dependent on foreign support, particularly from Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, in order to overcome its problems.

Considering its political, economic and technologic capacities, Turkey can be good friend for Afghanistan; a friend that holds no claims over Afghanistan’s territory. Turkey’s European links, its role in NATO, and its close relations with the US can serve Afghanistan’s interests. From Kabul’s viewpoint, Turkey is eminently qualified to act as a good friend of Afghanistan.

Mir-Mahmoud Mousavi is Iran’s former ambassador to Pakistan.