Abstract:
One of most sensitive relationships in the Middle East is that between Turkey and Iraq. Crucial in Turkey’s relationship with Iraq is its view of Iraqi Kurdistan. This article studies the development of the Turkish foreign policy towards Iraqi Central and Kurdistan Regional Government ( KRG) in 2005-2015. The article analyzes several dimensions of Turkey’s foreign policy towards Iraqi Central Government and KRG. Many observers have stressed on contradictory nature of Turkey’s foreign policy towards Iraq in post-2003 era. So the main question of this article is why there has not been a coherent approach in Turkish foreign policy towards central government of Baghdad and regional government of Erbil in 2005-2015? The answer of the article as its hypothesis is failing nature of Iraq central government and the vast oil resources in Kurdistan region have encouraged a pragmatic and ups and down relations between Ankara, Baghdad and Erbil in 2005-2015 which could be characterized by deep contradictories in economic and security goals. The article shows that Ankara increasing relations with KRG is a reflection of Turkish limits of influence in Iraq and in the region as a whole.
Machine summary:
This article studies the development of the Turkish foreign policy towards Iraqi Central and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2005-2015.
Later on, it was criticized for its setbacks and contradictory nature especially according to Syria crisis and Iraq and many observers considered Turkish foreign policy as unsustainable (See Cockburn, 2015; Cook, 2015; Bahrami, 2012).
The answer of the article as its hypothesis is failing nature of Iraq central government and the vast oil resources in Kurdistan region have encouraged a pragmatic and ups and down relations between Ankara, Baghdad and Erbil in 2005-2015 which could be characterized by deep contradictories in economic and security goals.
The answer of the article as its hypothesis is failing nature of Iraq central government and the vast oil resources in Kurdistan region have encouraged a pragmatic and ups and down relations between Ankara, Baghdad and Erbil in 2005-2015 which could be characterized by deep contradictories in economic and security goals.
According to this hypothesis, we can consider Turkish foreign policy as dependent variable and failing nature of Iraq central government and vast oil resources in Kurdistan region as independent variables of the article.
In this period Turkish foreign policy towards Iraq experienced a profound change as Ankara inclined to Kurdistan Regional Government and shaped strong economic and military relations with Erbil.
Kurdish Oil and Turkish Foreign Policy Change: Assessing Change in Economic Goals Energy sector is an area where we can observe extensive dynamics of relations between Turkey, the Iraqi central government and the KRG.