IRAN-FRANCE, OR THE MIDDLE EAST-EUROPE?

Ankara’s biggest expectation from Erdogan’s visit to France was ensuring Paris’ support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid as we approach the critical December summit, where the Union is set to decide whether to start our membership talks. Towards this end, Erdogan met not only with the French president and prime minister but also with opposition leaders and business circles. However, Turkey’s expectations from its neighbor Iran usually cover more quotidian issues such as a possible discount in natural gas prices or Iran’s attitude towards the terrorist PKK. As a matter of fact, Ankara is satisfied with Iran’s recent stance on the PKK; therefore the two countries seem to agree on the benefits of an anti-Kurdistan bloc in the region.

The current situation can also be summarized as follows:

While Turkey is currently exerting efforts to make its Western borders politically permeable, it is at the same time trying to do the opposite at its Eastern borders, namely, make them politically impermeable.

Where can Turkey feel like home? In Iran, Iraq or Saudi Arabia? Or in France, Germany and Spain? Poverty, oppression and uncertainty? Or social welfare, progress and freedom?

The border between the Turks and greater Persian culture is the oldest terrestrial border in the world. I believe everybody would benefit if it became Europe’s eastern border.”