IS A CAUCASUS ALLIANCE POSSIBLE?

Today’s Zaman
Aug 22 2008
Turkey

Turkey is continuing its talks with countries in the Caucasus for
a proposed Caucasus stability and cooperation platform, which was
proposed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a regional crisis
erupted following a Georgian military offensive in the Russian-backed
breakaway region of South Ossetia earlier this month.

The project will start as an economic cooperation platform among
countries in the region and will tackle issues of conflict, as
well. Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are hoped to
become members of the initiative. But with Armenia and Azerbaijan
in a state of enmity due to Armenia’s continued occupation of the
Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, observers say a regional
alliance including both countries as members may be difficult to
implement.

Sabah daily’s Erdal Å~^afak says such projects are of great importance
for the Caucasus, as through them the countries in the region will find
common ground on which to cooperate in a number of areas, including
energy, transportation, infrastructure, education and health. "If
the countries in the region do not stand for their joint future, the
Caucasus will not be able to enjoy peace, security and prosperity," he
writes. He stresses that the membership of Iran in the planned platform
is of great importance. "Iran should be included in the platform both
due to the position of parts of its territories in the Caucasus and due
to the fact that the alliance will be of direct concern for Iran. The
platform should be supported by a number of internationally recognized
organizations, such as the EU, the [Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe] OSCE, the [Black Sea Economic Cooperation]
BSEC and the World Bank," he explains, adding that the platform
shouldn’t assume the duty of solving frozen conflicts in the region.

Milliyet’s Fikret Bila notes that the planned alliance in the Caucasus
is worth paying attention to for the countries in the region. "It
was President Abdullah Gul who gave the first message to Caucasian
countries last year regarding the proposed platform. He called on
Armenia to normalize its relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan and
participate in giant energy projects in the region," he recalls. He
also writes that Caucasian states should stop being used like pawns by
the US and Russia and should exert their utmost efforts toward becoming
more prosperous and peaceful through energy projects. "Turkey’s call
for an alliance in the region is very important for all Caucasian
countries. Turkey may become a leader in a project for peace and
development in the region by persuading all regional leaders to
contribute to the alliance. War will bring no good to the Caucasus,
as it didn’t bring any happiness or wealth to the Middle East,"
Bila concludes.

Radikal’s Ä°smet Berkan, on the other hand, is not hopeful that the
planned platform will prove effective. "The platform will include
Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. It will aim to make
these five countries discuss matters with one another. To me, making
these countries sit around a table is a great success. But I don’t
believe the platform will even succeed in this. I don’t expect Russia
to discuss the Caucasian issue with any other country. On the one
hand, if Russia decides to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, the Caucasus will be dragged into greater chaos. And,
on the other, it will not allow any other country to intervene to
help solve the problem. Thus, it is of great importance to closely
follow developments in the region," he states.

–Boundary_(ID_ABlwJOfxOtTQz2owMIBbEg)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress