Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Dr Elif Selin Calik
-
2020 sees Turkey set its sights on the Mediterranean
Turkey has announced that it is sending troops to Libya at a time when it is dealing with a new influx of refugees from Syria’s north-western province, Idlib. Millions have been fleeing President Bashar Al-Assad’s brutal attacks and the humanitarian crises in Syria. In the last month of 2019,...
-
Qatar’s gas investment in Turkey and the Saudi blockade
Energy has always played a crucial geopolitical role. Natural gas is a part of this important sector; with the switch from coal-to-gas, the demand for natural gas jumped by 4.6 per cent in 2018, accounting for nearly half of overall demand growth, according to a report published by International...
-
‘Hatred and mistrust block a solution in Israel-Palestine’
An interview with Professor Stephen Bronner, by Elif Selin Calik...
-
Expelling Libya’s ambassador is not a solution for the Eastern Mediterranean
On 27 November, Turkey and Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU). Turkey intended to exercise its rights under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), despite the obstacles presented by the other countries in the region. Following...
-
The preservation of Turkey’s energy rights is key to maritime stability in the eastern Mediterranean
In collaboration with major industrial countries like the US and France, several Mediterranean countries have discovered oil and gas resources under the sea bed. The aim of these countries is twofold: to achieve energy self-sufficiency, and to sell any surplus on the open market. According to the 1982 UN Convention...
-
Brexit provides a win-win opportunity for Turkey and the UK
After being vetoed twice for membership of the European Union in 1967, the United Kingdom was finally admitted at the third attempt in 1973. Today, the British government is negotiating to leave the EU, with the so-called Brexit. There is no doubt that Britain has played an important and dominant...
-
Is NATO complying with its own Article 5 regarding Turkey’s ‘Operation Peace Spring’?
The reaction of Western countries to Turkey’s fight against terrorists groups in north-eastern Syria requires the international community to have a serious rethink about Article 5 of the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty which founded NATO and set out its responsibilities. Turkey’s NATO journey started 67 years ago when it acceded...
-
The tragic odyssey of Europe’s refugee deal
Last week saw the anniversary — on 3 October — of the tragic drowning of more than 300 migrants when their overcrowded vessel capsized off the coast of Italy. Despite such tragedies in the Mediterranean region, European countries are still debating how to tackle the migrant/refugee crisis. It has...
-
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics
Tim Marshall served a long stint as diplomatic editor of Britain’s Sky News. In his book “Prisoners of Geography”, he argues that topography imprisons leaders. “This was true of the Greek Empire, the Persians, the Babylonians, and before them, it was true for every leader seeking the high ground...