“What does the rare encounter between Erdogan and Mohammed bin Saeed mean to Turkish-Emirati relations?” We begin our presentation to the British press with a report by Porso Dragohi, an international affairs correspondent for The Independent.
In his article, the author believes that “Abu Dhabi and Ankara, despite their differences, may have decided that cooperation would be more effective than conflict” when they “threw bombs at each other from opposite sides in fiercely heated wars. A war that lasted for many years.”
At the first official meeting between the two leaders in nearly a decade, “when the two countries work together with Western support to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Saeed said, “the United Arab Emirates is the practical leader of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the most powerful person in the trade union.” Seven Emirates “arrived in Ankara on Wednesday for an” important “meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two sides clashed over ideological differences and strategic aspirations. Turkey supports the Muslim Brotherhood, which is strongly opposed by the United Arab Emirates. Both countries are embroiled in a fierce proxy war to control Libya.
The author notes the analysis of the many factors behind the reconciliation and the diplomatic internal affairs, “The war in Libya was set back by the initial victory of Turkey’s allies, and the major military setbacks for the warlord Khalifa Haftar.”
The United Arab Emirates may have decided to use its economic power to persuade Turkey in foreign policy matters, ”he added.
The author quotes Theodore Karasik, a Middle East affairs expert at Gulf State Analytics, a Washington consulting firm, as saying, “The idea of the United Arab Emirates is about influence and potential impact … they are thinking beyond 2023. Turkish presidential elections). ) In their calculations for Turkey. “
The author points out that the meeting of security and intelligence leaders of the two countries “focuses on developing strategic understandings”, while Turkey and the United Arab Emirates share interests in controlling Iranian aspirations and preventing further repercussions from the conflict in Syria.
On the economic side, locals say, “the UAE has been exploring $ 15 billion in investments in dozens of Turkish companies, especially in the defense and aerospace sectors, since it controlled one of Turkey’s most important seas.” Gates, in the port city of Yarmica, just outside Istanbul, saw a 21% increase in trade between the two countries compared to 2019 last year.
The author concludes that Turkey has “experienced a record decline in recent days and has depreciated by more than 60% this year, eager to attract foreign investment.”
Political Compass
We see a comment by David Gardner, the international affairs editor of the Financial Times, on “Arab leaders evaluate the process of normalizing relations with the Syrian president.”
Gardner says, “At a time when Iran is said to be building a network across the Middle East in the aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq, the Arab motive for sticking with Assad is to respond to the ‘Shiite crutch’.
“The United Arab Emirates is using its charisma as an advanced and expanding market in the Gulf with resources to help rebuild Syria,” he explains. “The European Union is pushing for a political settlement in Syria with a comprehensive new constitution. Russia, which defended the Assad regime with Iran, supports this.” Furthermore, it leads to the misconception that Moscow can put pressure on the Iranian presence in Assad and Syria. “
But Gulf Arab leaders see no reason to remain idle. By 2008, however, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had honored Assad in Paris for supporting and strengthening Hezbollah’s 2006 war with Israel in Lebanon. “
The author concludes, “The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are controlling their challenges through parallel expansion talks with Iran. However, Syria is part of the heart of the Arab world and they know that it is a compass in terms of geopolitics. Now they are taking their own path.”
‘On the verge of collapse’
We conclude with a comment in the Guardian, written by Stephen Kinnak, the British MP for the Labor Party, entitled “Afghanistan Faces Disaster, Ministers Not Concerned, but Labor Does”.
For 20 years, Afghanistan’s economy has relied entirely on the financial support of the international donor community to the Government of Afghanistan to offset the operating costs of the public sector. Its public spending was where Kabul collapsed at the time, so it is not surprising that the Afghan economy is now on the brink of total collapse following the refusal of the international community to finance it through the Taliban.
He explains that Afghans have less access to money because the banking system is completely closed.
“Labor supports the international community’s reluctance to provide financial assistance through the Taliban.
Fortunately, as Kinnock says, there are alternative ways to provide humanitarian and financial assistance to the Afghan people.
The Labor MP concludes: “The union today urges the UK government to provide decisive leadership and active diplomacy by taking the following three steps:
First, the Secretary of State should invite allied countries willing to mobilize key Western donors to Afghanistan to provide additional funding for the World Bank Afghanistan Reconstruction Fund and the UNDP Afghanistan Special Trust Fund to operate independently of the Taliban through the channel. Direct financing and payment to Afghan public sector and voluntary organizations through a controlled and auditable model. Similar activities have taken place in other countries. “
Second, “our government must take the lead in restarting cash flow in Afghanistan. The banking sector is on the verge of collapse, but international banks fear US sanctions if they appear to support the Taliban. Urge allies to revise their sanctions.
Third, Kinnak said, “aid agencies and NGOs need to get some clarity on what governments will accept or not to donate based on the Taliban’s behavior and activity for a long time. It is impossible to operate effectively on the ground. The UK government should therefore invite key donors to adopt a set of key policies that will enable support actors to operate and send more efficiently. Clear and consistent message to the Taliban. “
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