An Interview with Omair Anas from Jawaharlal Nehru University
ORSAM: Mr Omair, could you introduce yourself please?
Omair Anas: Thank you very much; I have come from India to attend ATCOSS conference 2010. I’m working as a PhD candidate at School of International Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. I hold masters in International Relations as well as in Arabic literature. I study International Relations theories mainly Globalization, Regionalism, transnational media culture, media affairs and civil society in West Asian region. Turkey is always our first attraction when we are encountered with West Asian issues where lot of current developments have signified foreign policy shifts. This was my first opportunity to visit Turkey and interact with Turkish academia and I spoke on Turkey’s Soft Power in the Arab World.
ORSAM: How do you assess Turkey’s foreign policy in the Middle East as an academic?
Omari Anas: I’m looking Turkish foreign policy as a third person. I’m neither Arab nor a Turk. I can see so many variables that are working in the current Turkish foreign policy. If you ask me to evaluate, there is some sort of disconnection from the past foreign policy. The traditional foreign policy in the pre-AKP era was like living without Arabs. Now there is a tendency among AKP officials that they are saying “We are going to live with Arabs”. The new opening towards Arabs is a new initiative, and this is a new subject, which is being studied in Turkish foreign policy. There are larger impacts on regional and international politics because of this shift in Turkish foreign policy. First because there is much traffic of international and regional players in the Arab region United States of America, European Union, Russia, Japan, Iran, China and India all are very active in this region. In the presence of so many players, Turkey has reopened a window which it has closed some decades after undertaking a pro west look.
After this long period, Turkey’s role didn’t remain unchallenged as it was during Ottoman era. Its new role in the region will also be defined and will be set by ambitions of other states which have come there in the absence of Turkey. In this background, I understand that Turkish foreign policy towards the Arab world is not very easy. Iran and Israel are both close friends of Turkey which have bitter relations with Arab states. Turkey’s close friendship with Israel or Iran does not soothe Arabs. In my opinion as an academic, I find that this new opening is going to be a challenge for Turkey where it has to set a different tone with Israel which I think Turkey has adopted in recent months.
ORSAM: You said that Turkey’s new foreign policy will be challenging in the coming days. Turkey wants to mediate some conflicts in the Middle East; you speak on Israel and Iran. Is there a chance for Turkey to act for the resolution of those conflicts?
Omair Anas: Of course, there is a chance for successful mediation, but the problem is that we are living in a world where the US has transnational political power. In simple terms we are in uni-polar world where US can still dictate terms of peace and war. I doubt that America welcome Turkey’s mediation initiatives particularly between Iran and west and between Arabs and Israel. This recent initiative brokered by Turkey with Brazil and Iran was just rejected by the US. United States did not accept Turkey Brazil joint initiative on Iran. If the United States is not agreed with the role which Turkey aspires to play in the region, mediation initiatives may not result into final settlement though it will force other countries to be part of the process. With this view I think that Turkey has to pay attention to get broader international and regional support for its efforts. Israel has also not shown any respect to Turkish mediation efforts for peace process.
ORSAM: You say that reaction of the superpower in the region that has interest in the Middle East is important. Could you explain your observation on how the Middle Eastern states react to Turkey’s foreign policy?
Omair Anas: In simple terms, for example Saudi Arabia’s and other Gulf states’ crucial interests are attached with the US. The United States is very important for their internal as well as external security which means that the US is basically the guarantor of security for Arab Gulf States. America is also supporting Egypt and giving assistance. Jordan is also dependent on the US aid. Can Turkey replace United States, European Union, China or India? Arab Gulf States and North African Arab states do not expect Turkey’s role beyond a Typical European country. One role which Turkey is increasingly being expected is to be a counter-player of Iran. So, in my opinion recent Arab governments are not welcoming so many interventions by Turkey unless they have full backing from other international players.
ORSAM: I want to ask you the view from India. Is India’s Middle East policy clash with Turkey? Is there a competition or cooperation?
Omair Anas: India is an emerging global power. This is a cliché we use in diplomacy and academia. Indian interests in the Arab world are two sided. One is for business transactions and second is about Indian people working in the Arab world. The third priority is coming from India’s expected candidacy for permanent membership for United Nations’ Security Council for which India needs Arab support. However this is not immediate interest. India unlike Turkey does not have any direct security and defence issues with Arab states. Rather India has become Israel’s largest defence partner after Russia. You can see opposite trends in their policy towards Israel. Unlike India, Turkey is reviewing its approach towards Israel. With this, I would say that Arab states may prefer engagement with Turkey in all fields. Arab investment in Turkey is rapidly growing up. But India’s vast market is always promising for Arab government which they wish to explore. Current scenario suggests that India Turkey relation have not entered in either competitive or cooperative stage.
ORSAM: I want to ask a question about the Gulf Cooperation Council. The GCC and India are making a free trade agreement. The process is going slowly but how will it be in the future?
Omair Anas: in 2008, India GCC trade has reached 28 billion second after the United States. They may touch 40 billion volumes. Given this volume of cooperation, India and the GCC signed a framework of agreement on trade and cooperation to enter in a Free Trade Area. I think that the GCC countries are selectively ready to open free trade with India. But for some specific countries, their individual interest might not be favorable for free trade particularly for those which have huge petrochemical production. India needs safeguards for its petroleum and petroleum products which is major issue to be resolved in current negotiations. The last thing between the GCC and India is Pakistan, Kashmir and India’s closer relation with Israel. Observers have correctly found that there is little progress possible in finalizing the FTA with pending issues of petrochemical products.
ORSAM: Lastly, you said that Iran and Turkey’s ambitions in the Middle East are similar to each other, they are in cooperation, but, in your opinion what might come in the future?
Omair Anas: If you see the profile of the two countries, Iran and Turkey, they have almost the same number of population which means they require similar amount of resources. Despite being petro rich country, Iran’s economy has deteriorated in the last five years mainly because of sanctions and international isolation. But Turkey’s economy continues to grow. Both countries have economic relations with the Arab states. What Iran is trying to do is to reduce its isolation in the international community. For this, Iran needs the help of Turkey. Iran is trying to get Turkey to help reduce Iran’s isolation. That’s why you will find friendly gestures between Iran and Turkey. Turkey’s key concern is Iran’s nuclear ambition which Turkey want to make assure that Iran do not have nuclear weapon. Also another war in Turkey’s second border will hit Turkey’s security. With this, Turkey has advanced Zero Problem Policy at neighbours by engaging them in meaningful talk. Turkey is becoming more reliable partner for Arabs than Iran. I think that current Iran Turkey cooperation trends do not constitute major possibility for long term strategic partnership. Given their hostile history, sectarian differences and same area of influence, Turkey needs to explore solid grounds for long term partnership with Iran.
Interview: Nebahat Tanrıverdi O; ORSAM Middle East Research Assistant
Filed under: Uncategorized
