Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Turkish affairs says growing relations between Turkey and Lebanon in political and economic fronts and other areas of mutual interest would pave the way for more role-playing even limited by Turkey in the political scene of Lebanon.
Strategic Council Online—Editorial: Due to consciously cooperation with Russian arms company Rosoboronexport and the purchase of the S-400 missile defense systems, Turkey has gone under US sanctions of CAATSA as Washington does not tolerate interaction with Russia in military domains by other countries. The purchase of S-400 missile defense systems by Turkey has endangered the safety of the US military personnel and technology and would provide access for Russia to the armed forces and defense industries of Turkey. The main goal of US sanctions on Turkey is to prevent Russia from reaping huge financial gains and accessing and impacting the NATO defense systems. US Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo has asked Turkey to resolve the issue of S-400 with long-term cooperation in the defense sector and adapt once again itself with the rules of NATO and the purchase of arms compatible with this military alliance treaty.
Mahmoud Fazeli, expert of international issues
Strategic Council Online – Europe is pursuing a kind of “tilt but don’t spill” attitude towards Turkey, based on which it is neither indifferent nor reacts harshly.
Afshin Zargar – PhD in International Relations, Faculty Member
Strategic Council Online – Turkey is trying to use the leverage of its military presence in Libya to pave the way for political negotiations on political and economic interests, particularly on the sharing of Eastern Mediterranean energy resources.
Hassan Ashrafi – Researcher on Turkey’s affairs
Strategic Council Online – The pendulum feature of Turkey’s foreign policy has a high risk and will impose heavy costs on the Turkish structure in the event of an impasse in the enforcement of policies.
Ali Saadat Azar – Expert on Turkey’s affairs
Strategic Council Online – An expert on Turkey’s affairs referred to some contradictory policies of Turkey and the European Union, especially on energy which has led to escalation of tensions and sanctions threats and said: The language of threats and sanctions cannot deter Turkey from its activities in the Eastern Mediterranean region; moreover, the militarization of the Mediterranean is neither in the interest of Turkey nor the European Union.
Strategic Council Online—Editorial: With Joe Biden going to the oval office in the White House next January, NATO is hoping to re-establish warm relations between the US and Europe after the end of the Trump tenure, and the presence of Biden as the President of the United States would increase hopes for the amelioration of trans-Atlantic relations. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced an extraordinary session of the NATO Summit at the beginning of 2021 with the participation of Joe Biden after he assumes power in Washington. Many in Europe are waiting for fundamental changes in NATO after the remarks of the French president who described NATO as facing brain death—something suggestive of the depth of internal differences in this military alliance. Paris is also demanding a revision in the activities and objectives of NATO as a military coalition organization.
Mahmoud Fazeli, expert of European affairs
Strategic Council Online-Interview: A university professor says participants in the negotiations in Morocco are serious and determined to resolve the crisis in Libya, adding however that one cannot be optimistic about the outcome of the negotiations as there are ups and downs in the talks and the two sides are aware of the consequences of a war of attrition.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on Saudi Arabia said that reducing tensions is the concurrent desire of the three countries of Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, said: The Saudi concern over the return of the United States to the Iran Nuclear Agreement (also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and boosting Iran’s economic strength have prompted Riyadh to minimize tensions with the Arab and Sunni fronts before Trump leaves the White House and Biden takes over in order to confront Iran with a new lineup. But the important point in this regard is the vigilance of Qatar. In other words, Doha should be careful not to be caught by the Saudi conspiracy against Iran, which was beside Qatar during the difficult years of sanctions.
Strategic Council Online—Editorial: Turkey is one of the main regional players which has been pursuing an aggressive foreign policy during the past several years—a country which once prioritized in its foreign policy the zero-tension approach with its neighbors but has now turned down that policy by entering into various levels of political, security, military and field operational engagements in the West Asia, the Caucasus and North Africa regions. In fact, you can find very few hot spots in the region in which Turkey has not been actively involved.
Hamid Khoshayand-International issues analyst
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Turkish studies says Turkish activities in Syria are the continuation of the previous policies of the Turkish government that seems will not take new measures in Syria.
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: The Turkey’s role in the Karabakh conflict should be investigated on the basis of the political and historical ties and objectives of Turkey in the Azerbaijan Republic.
Dr. Qadir Golkarian—Member of the academic staff of the Near East University, Cyprus
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Africa affairs says the Western Sahara government considers the recent intrusion of the Moroccan Army to Guerguerat in Western Sahara as the final seal on the termination of the 1991 peace accord between the two sides.
Strategic Council Online: Turkey is like a bone in the throat of Europe, especially France, which can neither deal with it seriously nor get rid of it.
Dr Abdolreza Farajirad – Expert on Geopolitical Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Following the signing of the controversial agreement between Egypt and Greece on the demarcation of water borders in the Eastern Mediterranean, the two countries agreed to complete the demarcation process. The agreement allows the two countries to use natural resources available in the intended economic zone and explore oil and natural gas. In the agreement in question, the maritime rights of the two parties have been specified to some extent and details of the maritime borders will be determined in the outcome of the future negotiations.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on European Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Regional players such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey are attempting to break up Libya and establish two different sovereignties in the country. Therefore, if the war continues, Libya like Sudan, may be divided into the two eastern and western parts.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Asian Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: The two sides of the war in Libya have ceased the conflict under the present circumstances and are calling for political talks to end the deadlock, an expert of international relations said, adding that they face lengthy and difficult negotiations.
Online Strategic Council—interview: An expert of international relations says foreign players in the East Mediterranean region are seeking to prolong Turkey-Greece conflict in order to secure their own interests and obtain excessive concessions.
Strategic Council Online – Explaining the geopolitical complexities in the Eastern Mediterranean, a faculty member said: “One of the concerns about this region, especially in Europe, is the addition of this crisis to the Middle East security crisis which due to Europe’s geographical proximity to the region, it will have negative consequences for Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Explaining Turkey’s military and economic actions in Libya, an international affairs expert said that by abandoning diplomacy in Libya, Turkey and Qatar were following the “courage is the fastest way to victory” theory. The two countries have relied on the skeptics of the warring parties and their fear of the human and material consequences and costs of the war.
