Turkey - Gulf Countries Strategic Dialogue
“Interdependence and Trust Building“ When we look at the main trends in the world, global competition in the age of new economy based on "information and knowledge-based products" following "soil and machinery" is developing through "micro-nationalism", "integration" and "unpredictability’’. Challenges that determine the new nature of life and state; such as " crisis in resource and sharing ", unsustainability of production-consumption-growth formula, purge of the middle class with Chinese leverage, energy, water, and food insecurity, transition to the 4th dimension, liquidation of human resources in the workforce, transition from hard power to soft and smart power on the basis of the very changing state nature and anticipation management, can be formed as the basic references.
Within all these fundamental parameters, the transformations in technology are prone to change the whole human life and nature by developing with artificial intelligence, virtual/enhanced reality and mobility centered. It is obvious that the concepts of "Industry 4.0" and "Society 5.0" are important topics for managing the transformation of the world within the dimensions of industry and society. Another contributive factor is the turbulence that China creates as it begins to become intensively dominant on the world stage day to day. The New Silk Road project, "One Belt and One Road Initiative"; is shaped as a global integration project involving more than hundred countries, both on land and at sea, permanently changing the distribution of economic shares. In countries with no middle class, authoritarian regimes or chaos stands as two options in the fore-seeable future. How to make the division of labor in terms of regional and global security and how to share the costs is also a point of discussion in the coming period.
The development of new alliances on security can be read from the risks and the initiatives undertaken by dominant countries. The quality of the concepts of property and power, and the business model change historically. The future of the EU with the "Failure in Success" syndrome will be determined by the results of the polarization which revived in the West after the Brexit. Along with all these developments, "Ecosystem of safety" changes with the law. The "Security - Democracy" dilemma will be experienced much more after that. Because, for the democracy, it is difficult to survive in countries where the middle class is melting and security leans to a sophisticated ground. The question "Will security bring us authoritarian regimes" needs to be discussed further.
For the last three hundred years of long political history and international relations have allowed us to see no political, administrative, economic structure that positions the people at the center ; No institutional strategy that is not tied to "legitimate law" and "justice" ultimately taught in an extremely tragic way that no assembly brings "peace", "stability" and therefore "prosperity".
In relation to the world peace meaning, both at the individual and social level, the most basic precondition is the "sense of safety". No human being, family and society can survive a decent life as " respected human " with the sense of security. Psychosocial, socioeconomic and sociopolitical sense of security based on a conceptual and factual basis; Is the most assurance of all individual, social and even international diplomatic, economic and logistical relations.
There is an inverse proportional and paradoxical relationship between the clear sense of security that may exist between people and societies, which is expressed with the word "trust" on the contemporary, and which is precisely just a mutual trust, and a "security search", a more technical and logistic conceptualization."Respect" is the key concept of the sustainability of trust-based "dependency" relations, which is based on the same conscientious objection to security sentiment. Because, as in the case of individual relations, respect for the identities of the parties in social and inter-communal relations has a constructive and restorative quality as a means of public diplomacy and political communication if a moral principle is required
"Affiliation to the common ideals"; transforms the intercultural dependency relationship from a preference for a tactical or conjunctural foreign policy based on a mutual interest relationship to an essential identity and strategic responsibility. Societies, especially in the context of "mutual dependence" or "strategic dialogue", and especially Muslim societies, which should primarily be based on trust-based relations among themselves, participate in international negotiations with a "common vision" against "economic, political and military domination in the phenomenon of globalization" It is obliged to establish a "network of relations" in accordance with the definition of dependency. Even in a process where mutual security strategies are a priority agenda item, even for "security of relations" because of "confidential crisis"; It is clear that the concept of "security", which consists of new definitions in society, neighborhood, health and agriculture, in many fields and sectors, has a multidimensional quality at both the subject and the actor level
"Security Policies" that lead to new problems rather than solutions, primarily by US and international NATO, European Union & OSCE, and regional associations; UN's ineffective solutions in conflict zones(!); The tendency of international organizations such as SCO and CICA to evolve into their first examples instead of being "alternative solutions"; "Hybrid wars" that take place in the process of transforming the power balance between actors in the shadow of technological developments and the economic variables of the global system are increasing the importance of security controversies and the importance of interstate territorial supremacy and related regional sub-unions of the common ideal.
There is no need for "collective security", which is regarded as solidarity against global security threats, which is gaining in importance due to its multidimensional and complex nature that can not be secured by a single actor at the global level, and there is no supranational mechanism linked to the common act and vision of the actor at all levels and regions. It has forced the introduction of security perspectives into the foreground. This is even more evident in the Middle East, where relations are highly fragile due to instability.
Despite the strong historical and cultural background, it is not possible for the strategic dialogue to develop to remain outside of this fragile axis in Turkey - the Middle East or, more narrowly, Turkey - the Gulf States. After the Ottoman period, This region, which is the most important part of its historical geography, and even its wider basin, including North Africa, has been delayed until 2000, unfortunately, by the influence of international political balances; No mutual efforts have been made to establish "deeply rooted social ties that will nourish trust-based diplomatic relations "in comparable to the common history of the peoples of the region. The relations between Turkey and the Gulf States consisting of United Arab Emirates (BAE), Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman is no different.
Turkey - Gulf Countries between 1980’s and 90’s ; (OIC), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, depending on the changes in the international conjuncture and the foreign policy line of Turkey, and in the framework of the Gulf Arab Countries Cooperation Council (GCC). With Turkey's African Action Plan (1998); It may be necessary to question why a "Gulf Action Plan" aimed at 'comprehensive strategic cooperation' between the GCC and Turkey, which was established in 1981 and represents a geopolitical area with vital preservation, has not been introduced.
As the first country in the GCC to adopt a high level regular institutional dialogue with the ones outside the region, the US and the EU as well as the Strategic Common Statue (2008), Turkey's trade relations with the countries of the region have increased steadily; The trade volume between the parties has increased exponentially in this process. These developments, which have very positive consequences for both sides, have an important role in seeking trust-based strategic dialogue as well as other factors.
Turkey - Gulf States relations; High Level Strategic Dialogue Meetings, which in particular strengthened the relations of the GCC-Turkey with the Memorandum of Understanding (2005); It is important to develop in the context of harmonization and solidarity, taking into account the agenda of multilateral regional cooperation platforms such as the Arab League (AL), as well as activities such as the Turkish - Arab Cooperation Forum (TAF), the forefront of the banking, finance, energy and construction sector.
It is known that the GCC, which has institutional objectives such as the monetary union and finally the political union, attaches more importance to cooperation that prioritizes "economic value added", while not all members have a common tendency. In this context, it is important that plans similar to the Turkey - GCC Joint Action Plan, especially in third countries, should be continued in the basic investment sectors such as energy, transportation, health, education, culture and tourism, taking into consideration the added value approach.
In particular, the US invasion of Iraq (2003), Changes in the Libyan, Egyptian and Tunisian regimes, and leading to the destructive experience of inter-allied alliances related to sec- torship, which has led to the emergence of new problems that will have long-term consequences both in the Middle East and North Africa ; The strengthening of the relations between Turkey and the Gulf States in general and the relations between the GCC and Turkey, in which Iraq and Yemen are particularly inclined to participate, will contribute positively to the overall security of the region.
The fact that 60% of the world's oil reserves are located within the borders of the Gulf Countries, which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has brought these countries to have a different position and wealth in international relations. This situation has led the GCC countries to pursue similar policies in foreign policy. The Crisis, which broke out between some Gulf countries and Qatar in 2017, directly or indirectly affected other countries that established political and economic relations with the Region, as well as the parties of the Crisis. The fact that Saudi Arabia and the UAE started to impose an embargo on Qatar and various sanctions were presented as prerequisites for resolving the Crisis, and then Qatar's declaration that it did not accept these sanctions, led to a prolongation of the Crisis.
The decision to open land, sea and air borders between Qatar and Saudi Arabia on January 4, 2021, as a result of the contributions of international actors (especially Turkey and Kuwait) carrying out mediation and facilitation activities, constitutes an important step towards resolving the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region. Turkey, which is the strategic partner of the Gulf Cooperation Council and attaches great importance to the security and stability of the Gulf region; hopes that this conflict will be resolved comprehensively and permanently on the basis of mutual respect for the sovereignty of the countries and that other sanctions against the people of Qatar will be lifted as soon as possible, and it continues to support all efforts in this direction. It is pleasing that, as a result of the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council Summit held in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021, a common will was expressed towards the solution of the Gulf Dispute and that diplomatic relations with Qatar would be re-established. By attaching importance to the unity and solidarity of the Gulf Cooperation Council; Turkey hopes that the Al-Ula Declaration signed by the GCC members and Egypt at the end of the summit will ensure the final resolution of the conflict, and Turkey confirms its readiness to make efforts to improve institutional cooperation with the GCC, of which it is a strategic partner, by restoring trust among the Gulf countries.
EU as the first example the foreign policy priorities of the GCC countries and in general the Gulf States, especially due to their internal-political preferences, relations based on trust between the countries of the region prevent the formation of a common political and military vision. Along with this, Turkey - Gulf relations have a high level of stability and prosperity compared to other countries such as Syria and Iraq in the region; The region and the periphery have an important responsibility in deepening the relationship between strategic dialogue and mutual trust-based dependency
In light of the results of the "Turkey - GCC High Level Strategic Dialogue" meetings and the last ten years of bilateral cooperation between Turkey and the Gulf Countries, There is a strong expectation, especially in the business world, about the relocation of a large potential relationship that has not yet been discussed in the field of economics, It is clear that the possible Free Trade Agreement that will meet this expectation will set a record level of trading volume between the parties. In addition, multidimensional investment activities should be evaluated with the cooperation of Turkey and the Gulf Countries in the framework of the draft scheme of the "Preferential Trade Agreement of the Islamic Countries" and in the third countries.
The current agreements include trade, finance, transportation, energy, tourism and other sectors of the Turkish - Gulf States, Development of balanced regional / global cooperation based on the strategy of growth together in multidimensional security areas such as defense industry, military personnel training, joint operation force formation, "military training" and "defense industry", which have bilateral and multilateral potentials. The political and economic advantage of technological superiority in the defense and space industry, which is the basis of defense and security policies, which is a part of the economy and which is the field of technological knowledge production, Managerial synergy, risk sharing and strong technical expertise contribute to cost reduction and competitive advantage.
Except for Bahrain and Oman, the OPEC member and the main motivation is the regional security of the GCC Countries, which are seen as having a positive influence on the national security of the Gulf countries, which is regarded as an axis of regional stability in the Arabian geography, high level strategic dialogue and cooperation in cultural fields
First of all, Turkey and neighboring Iran and Iraq to the Basra Gulf; Fundamental steps should be taken to develop multidimensional strategic alliances including neighboring countries such as Syria and Egypt. In this context, the careful evaluation of initiatives such as "reconciliation of sects" in order to mitigate the negative effects of the sectarian discourses may contribute to the deepening of trust-based social relations and the development of stronger sociopolitical dynamics.
Considering that the most important factor determining strong relations at the social level is the collective values of the relevant societies, the strategic dialogue with communities with common historical and cultural ties, The most urgent responsibility should be to develop a fostering supreme-political perspective that will take the initiative in intra-regional affairs where international roofing organizations are inadequate to produce radical solutions; Medium and long-term strategic dialogue should be pursued in this direction. Otherwise, it is not possible to permanently resolve the problems threatening the security of the Gulf States in the region, particularly in the Syrian, Iraqi and Palestinian affairs. The power struggle between the hegemonic capitalist actors will voluntarily never allow such a solution to be developed. To achieve such a goal depends on behavior in a way that transcends reflexes based on "nation state mentality" and "classical state ideology".
The "Interdependency and trust building" concept that will bring strength and justice to our civilization outside of religion, language, history and geography is the basic mental threshold in front of relations between Turkey and the Gulf States. The inclusion of Turkish and Gulf States Diasporas in the mutual process is one of the main strategic areas. Turkey - Gulf Countries Strategic Dialogue; Aims to provide academic and civil contribution in order to manage the interdependence and trust building parameters between Turkey and the Gulf Countries, in particular, all the priorities detailed above, in order to manage and establish consciousness of common consciousness.
Main theme
Thinking Diplomacy: New World New Horizons
Basic Sectors
Public Diplomacy, Education and Language
Culture and Tourism (Joint History and Anthropology)
Construction, Contracting and Infrastructure
Health and Health Tourism
Energy, Petrochemicals and Investments
Logistics, Transportation and Communication
Banking and Finance
Economy and Trade
Media and Communication
science and technology
Brand Cities and the Environment
Defense and Space Industry
Sub Themes
Multi-Dimensional Security Cooperation: Political, Strategic and Economic Bases
‘Smart Power’ Building and Expectations Management: Experiences and Acquirements
Multi-Dimensional and Supplementary Security Cooperation:
Environment
Terrorism
Smuggling
Energy, Food, Water Security
Demographics
Health
Climate
Urban Planning
Technology
STUDIES AND ACTIVITIES (DRAFT)
Method
Inductive Reasoning, Participation and Economic Deepening
Turkey - Gulf States Committee of Wise Persons Meetings Workshop
Building Capacity and Ecosystem Inventory
Preparation of Research Projects and their Reports
Development of Pro-active Policy Recommendations
Round-Table Meetings/Workshops
Multilateral Workshops/Studies
Sector Workshops/Activities
Applied Interactive Modelings
Strategic Reports
Publication of sector studies as strategic reports for decision makers, private sector, media and public opinion of the sides. Providing literature and memory support.
Media Conferences
Other Academic Studies
Strategic Reports, Books, Articles, Thesis and so on Academic Studies
Event Page
https://tasam.org/en/Etkinlik/18304/turkey_-_gulf_countries_strategic_dialogue
