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Turkey sees Ukraine as a strategic partner in international relations
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7 May 2010
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko signed an “action plan for 2010-2011” between the two countries in Kiev on Wednesday.
The two ministers also signed a joint declaration of a high-level strategic cooperation council. Davutoglu told reporters that Turkey sees Ukraine as a strategic partner in international relations.
Describing political relations between the two countries as being on a “perfect” level, Davutoglu said Turkey and Ukraine are working on economic and commercial cooperation, particularly in the areas of energy and transportation. He added that the two nations share a common perspective on regional issues, especially those related to the Black Sea.
The Turkish foreign minister said that Turkey is ready to take every step needed to achieve economic integration and maximum cooperation with Ukraine.
Adding that they had decided to carry bilateral relations to a higher level, Hryshchenko said Turkey and Ukraine would coordinate on important economic and political projects under the signed declaration.
Turkey has adopted a favourable stance towards Ukraine since the aftermath of Soviet Union’s collapse, being one of the first countries recognizing the new independent state. Increasing economic ties, due to Ukraine’s strategic position, have been constantly matched by cordial diplomatic relations. It is in fact Ukraine’s geo-political position, and in particular the shared area constituted by the Black Sea region, to foster Turkey’s willingness towards more friendly and fruitful relations. Under Turkey’s initiative in fact economic relations - which are already quite successful considering that since 2004 bilateral volume trade increased by 74% and reached the sum of 6 billion$ in 2007 according to Foreign Affairs Ministry’s data - will be further strenghtened. According to Habibe Ozdal, USAK Eurasian expert, the very essence of the recently signed Action Plan is in fact to exploit all the economic, but also political, potentialities behind the current Turkey-Ukraine relations. In economic terms Turkey and Ukraine are important partners: Turkey mainly imports from Ukraine intermediate goods, while Turkish construction companies have so far totalled a 1.7 billion$ turnover. And, as in the case of Russia, also for Ukranian tourists, Turkey has become the second most important holiday destination.
“Since 1991 relations between both countries didn’t face any problems. However, why don’t Turkey and Ukraine do more to strengthen their relations?” wisely suggests Ozdal, referring both to increase economic ties and political cooperation especially in the Black Sea region, since both are already members of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (OBSEC). Habibe Ozdal in fact argues that the Black Sea region, at the same time a potential area for conflict but also a bridge for cooperation, it is the geo-political space upon which both countries share the same values and understanding about security issues, thus “paving the way for other areas of cooperation in the region”, she says. “This development is very important in terms of Turkish foreign policy. What we see in foreign policy now is that Turkey is opening to different areas and Ukraine is just one. And this is very welcomed in Ukraine” she then affirms. “This Action Plan can produce more dynamic relations and this is a very important aspect of Davutoglu ‘multi-vectorial’ Turkish foreign policy”. In line with Turkey’s Foreign Minister ‘Strategic Depth’ doctrine Turkey should take a more active stance in solving problems affecting her neighbouring area, but “what if you don’t have any problem?” Ozdal wonders. “Then something to improve relations has to be done and this Action Plan can be the way.”
Also in political terms Turkey and Ukraine are close partner because, as Ozdal points out, both countries share common values and understanding of their regional context because of their ‘intermediate’ position between Russia and the European space. But then, what kind of impact will this Action Plan have on both Turkey and Ukraine relations with Russia?
“Through the Black Sea region, Turkey and Russia are neighbours with strong historical relations. Before we were rival, now we are big economic partners. But on the other hand, as political partners Turkey and Russia are trying to focus more on cooperation rather than conflict. What does Ukrain mean in this frame? First of all, Ukraine-Russia relations are under re-consideration since Yanukovich adopted a pro-Russian stance. We should try to understand what Ukranian foreign policy is going to be since now on. As regard to Turkey, having good economic relations with Ukraine should not be a problem. All that Turkey is doing is having a multi-lateral foreign policy, so have good relations with Ukraine can only help to increase the stability of the region. Secondly, when the issue id the Black Sea, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine share the same understanding and this help these three countries to further stabilize the region. However Turkey’s priority is increasing economic ties, which has nothing to do with Russia.”
Source:
http://www.turkishweekly.net
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