The situation in the Middle East is never so bad that it can’t get worse. Turkey, an island of comparative stability in a sea of unrest, is at risk from a rising tide of insecurity on its borders and instability inside them. Others, including Canada, can and should relieve Turkey’s burden and resettle more of the two million refugees that Turkey is sheltering who can never go home again. Supportive diplomacy at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would also help.
On acceding to office, the current government promised Turks a “zero-problems-with-neighbours” foreign policy. A decade later, Turkey faces a zero-neighbours-without-problems reality. The once productive Turkish rapport with Israel is on ice. Relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan have both regressed. Trading partner Greece has fallen into deep recession. Cyprus awaits a solution. Russia continues to foment trouble in Ukraine and Eastern Europe and along with Iran to prop up Bashar al-Assad of Syria.
Read Full Article »