TURKEY’S INTERESTS SPREAD FROM CAUCASUS TO BALKANS AND NEAR EAST

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 21, 2010 – 17:38 AMT 12:38 GMT

Russian political analyst Sergey Markedonov said that Turkey is a
regional power, whose interests spread from Caucasus to Balkans and
Near East.

"Neo-Ottomanism, adopted by the Justice and Development Party (AKP)
implies smart power, thus differing from the traditional Ottomanism,"
he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"It is diplomacy, economy and aspiration towards Europe. It’s worth
noting that Turkey is a predictable partner for the West. Moreover,
the advantageous transition location of the country has an impact
not only on gas pipelines, but also on diplomacy," Mr. Markedonov said.

Referring to regional forces, he noted that the U.S. will not be
able to solve the problem of Iraq and Afghanistan without Iran. "The
interests of the U.S. and Iran coincide in Afghanistan much more
than it seems. Iran also can minimize the threat of the Islamic
fundamentalism," the expert stressed.