When we look at the geography in which Turkey is located in, it is seen that the region is extremely rich in terms of energy resources. However, Turkey is not a rich country on the energy issues. While comparing to neighboring countries, Turkey is considered as not a rich country in terms of energy production. At this time emerging the question “how Turkey may contribute to the energy security“. Today it is known that `just possessing the energy sources` is not enough. Safe ways of energy supply to the markets is at least as important as it possessing the energy. Turkey's contribution to regional energy security is emerging here. The unique geography and geopolitical location makes Turkey a country which has no alternative.
Turkey is located in the center of the regions Middle East and Caspian which has 71,8% of proven oil reserves and 72,7% of the proven gas reserves. Therefore, Turkey has the role of a natural bridge between source countries and consumer markets. Thanks to this fact Turkey emerges as an important country for ensuring and diversifying sources and routes of energy. This way Turkey has made significant progress becoming not only East West Energy Corridor but also North-South and South-West Energy Corridor.
Turkey is located between the three regions with the richest energy sources of world and the Europe which needs energy and the exit of the energy sources to the open seas. Turkey is neighboring with Russia which is the richest country in respect to energy. There are many agreements and pipelines between two countries. The first energy agreement between Turkey and Russia was signed in 1984 and Turkey started to get gas from Russia in 1987. Today the agreements are still valid. Turkey buys natural gas from Russia through the west natural gas pipeline which passes through Romania and Bulgaria. Besides Russia pumps gas to Turkey through the Blue Stream Natural Gas Pipeline which passes under the Black Sea.
Moreover, the agreements signed between the two countries suggests that the Russian crude oil will reach Mediterranean sea through the Turkish ‘Samsun-Ceyhan` Crude Oil Pipeline and terminals in the Ceyhan will become an important energetic hub.
The First Blue Stream Natural Gas Pipeline as well as the future of the second Blue Stream natural gas pipeline signs to make an agreement on energy officials between the two countries that are carried out. The Blue Stream Natural Gas Pipeline is planned to extend to Israel . Moreover, South Flow Pipeline carried out by Russian and Black Sea which will be a beginning to the other part of their territorial waters to pass from Turkey to Russia has given permission to make geological investigation. In my opinion, Black Sea has simultaneously rich natural resources and it does not wait for not discovering. I have to tell that Black Sea is made available to some perspectives about the joint cooperation in oil and natural gas between Turkey and Russia in the coming period. Yet it is made in progress cooperation in electric and nuclear power studies between the two countries.
On the other hand, Turkey is neighboring with Caspian region having rich energy resources and this region's energy resource to be transferred to the western market is continuing to work. In this framework, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline Project came to life just in the nineties. This Project was the initial field of the main competition between Turkey and Russia at that time.
Today, as well as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline Project, Sahdeniz-Erzurum Natural Gas Pipeline Project that are rich deposits of Azerbaijani natural gas produced by Sahdeniz to transfer to the western market is made come to life. This project was also linked with Greece. It is also planned to build a Trans- Caspian line which will also pass through the bottom of the Caspian Sea. However, this issue still continues the competition between Turkey and Russia. In that Trans-Caspian line also constitutes one of the important parts in the Nabucco line. Although Turkey wants to show there is no need to competite by supporting South Stream natural gas pipeline project which is the main rival of Nabucco Gas Pipeline Project, in fact the regional situation shows that there is stil a regional competition between these two lines.
It is seen that the Caspian Region welcomes another very big player such as Turkey and Russia for transferring of energy resources in the western markets. This massive player is China and China has pipeline projects with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in the last period and we should take into account that China is one of the most important player in Central Asia and the Caspian region. In my opinion, Turkey and Russia should intend for cooperation instead of competition. Otherwise, while we compete, we will be witness for growing on the efficiency of China on regional resources. In the meantime, I also need to express that Turkey's energy policy towards the Caspian region constitutes initiatives in the regional peace. The best example of this the developing relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the possible role of Naboccu project as a peace line in case of a possible positive development about Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
Middle East is the third region that we could see Turkey's influence over regional energy resources. It could be seen that Turkey in the Middle East region, particularly in the last three years had increased activity. In recent years, Turkey has primarily “zero problem with neighbors” policy in the region and firstly Turkey aims to solve the problems between neighbors in the Middle East. In the last two years, this goal can be seen performed significantly. Turkey ensured visa-free round-trip like Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. Turkey has realized the Council of Ministers meetings with Syria and Iraq, in that region has launched initiatives for the establishment of duty free areas, showed her opposition about the violence against Palestinian people in Gaza region in the front of international arena. Furthermore, Turkey has also actively conducted studies as a mediator between Iran and West also between Syria and Israel. We certainly cannot define to these policies as an attempt for new Ottoman Empire. I think these attempts should not be seen as an alternative road to Turkey’s relations with West. Today Turkey maintained an active and independent foreign policy in the Middle East. However, these policies do not contradict with United States and the European Union and Russia's policies, unlike coincide with these policies. Unfortunately we all see the results of Greater Middle East policy of U.S and how dreams during the Bush administration had terrorized the region like Iraq. Great Middle East Policy has found the answer to terrorism instead of democracy. So, U.S. military facilities will be drawn from Iraq by the end of 2011.
Especially, Iraq has become a strong probability to be a scene of a civil war between Arabs and Kurds. Iraq can lead the inevitable civil division if it is such a possibility to a reality. To avoid this negative situation Turkey could play an active player. This is inevitably and security in the region of the entire energy map that reveals the necessity of re-evaluation. Turkey will be changing to a different mission- to prevent a possible military intervention to Iran. But it is not easy mission that should also be expressed. It should be expressed that options like a military intervention against Iran or attempts to change Iranian government inside of the state are on the table in a powerful way. In the meantime, I need to specify that the new gravity of U.S. administrations policies in the region have been shifting towards the Middle East to South Asia. U.S. new management is working to implement South Asia Project instead of Great Middle East Project. U.S. President Obama made the first transoceanic foreign visit to Turkey and this visit was an indicator that Turkey took place in the middle of the regional games.
Today Turkey’s active foreign policy and its role have been extremely important at the point in South Asia and the Middle East.
Turkey's active foreign policy in the Middle East has also been active in energy policies. Turkey firstly tried to change the shape and spirit of Nabucco’s Project. At the beginning Caucasus and Khazar Region as a structure designed predominantly for the Nabucco project and that has changed today. The spirit of Nabucco is changing and Nabucco is now Turkmen gas, Iran Gas, Iraq and Egypt, gas-weighted structure that is wrapped. In this framework, Turkey is eager to carry out such projects in the region: There has been a natural gas pipeline that has 10 billion m3 capacities between Turkey and Iran. Turkey also signed new natural gas agreement with Iran. Turkey also received permission from rich Iran's Pars natural gas production and export resources. Turkey has also mutual agreement with Syria and Qatar in terms of energy cooperation.
Arab Natural Gas Pipeline which will complete of construction in June 2009 will be reached to Egypt natural gas through Jordan and Syria. At that time Turkey is interested in development of Iraq natural gas reserves. Iraq's Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline natural gas rights in the transition can easily built in parallel with a pipeline connecting to Turkey to the national network. In this regard, it was signed mutual agreement that Iraqi natural gas to Europe via Turkey and Turkey provides for access between Turkey and Iraq in Ankara in 7, August, 2007.
Turkey’s goal of becoming the main artery after Norway, Russia and Algeria for Europe’s energy demand va these projects, will open new areas for cooperation between EU and Turkey. It will also strengthen the links between Asia and Europe through Turkey. There is interesting energy cooperation between Russia and Turkey. The two countries are mainly competing but also cooperating. However, the competition has becoming cooperation in recent times. It could be seen that especially in the last period between the two countries in the Middle East region, especially cooperation in energy field began to emerge. Gazprom that is giant energy company, TPAO that is the Turkish Petrolum Company, South Korean Petroleum Company is Korea Gas and Malaysia with PETRONAS obtained to contract in Bedra petroleum region which is in the Iraq station and Turkey with Russia will be in the joint oil production in Iraq under the consortium.
As seen Turkey is a country that has geographically integrity with three regions -Russia, Khazar Region, Middle East- and Turkey links these regions to “rich” Europe that needs energy. Turkey’s unique position in the region orders to implement an active foreign policy to it. In recent years, especially Turkey’s foreign policy and energy applications with energy supply services are trying to contribute regional peace. However, that should not be forgotten that as a conclusion: the most important issue is imposing democracy from the inside of the people instead of projects such Great Middle East that imposed from outside by transporting regional energy resources to the western markets in a secure way and use provided income for the region's welfare.
Of course, it is clear that the mother of all problems in the region is Palestinian issue. Just a solution to the Palestinian issue will ensure peace and security to Middle East. As long as Palestine problem like a bleeding wound continues, peace initiatives will fail. A safe energy supply from Middle East will be possible only with “peace” in the region.