ID :
151813
Tue, 11/30/2010 - 14:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/151813
The shortlink copeid
‘Extra-regional players have destabilized Persian Gulf’
BANDAR ABBAS, Nov. 30 (MNA) –- Turkish political analyst Izzettin Sumer said the presence of extra-regional powers has undermined the stability of the Persian Gulf region.
“The external powers that have come from ten thousand kilometers away from the Persian Gulf… can be considered the first threat for this region,” Sumer said in an interview with the Tehran Times conducted on November 23 on the sidelines of the 20th international conference on the Persian Gulf in Bandar Abbas, in the southern province of Hormozgan.
The 20th international conference on the Persian Gulf, entitled Comprehensive Cooperation in the Persian Gulf: Mechanisms for Development and Regional Stability, was held on the shores of the Persian Gulf from November 22 to 23.
Sumer presented an article entitled “The role of the Organization of the Islamic Conference as a stabilizing actor in the Persian Gulf” and gave a presentation on his article at one of the four expert panels held at the conference.
Sumer is a research assistant at the International Relations Department of the Biga Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, which is located in western Turkey.
Following is the text of the interview with Mr. Sumer:
Q: What are the main factors that destabilize the Persian Gulf region?
A: There are many factors that can be considered the risk factors in the Persian Gulf. As the first, I can say the external powers that have come from ten thousand kilometers away from the Persian Gulf and try to bring democracy to this region. This can be considered the first threat for this region. And the second factor can be the Iranian and Arab problems. Although they are both Muslim nations, but as we know, there are some deep and historical problems between Iran and Arab countries. So if we want to create stability in the Persian Gulf region, first of all we have to deal with external powers, and then Muslim countries must sit and start to talk about their problems without letting third parties come to the region and talk about their problems. If they cannot do it and they cannot talk about their problems, they cannot solve their problems, they can’t make a secure region in the Persian Gulf, and somebody else from ten thousand kilometers away may come and try to solve their problems in terms of their profits.
Q: So you are opposed to the presence of extra-regional powers in the Persian Gulf region?
A: Exactly. As you know, my proposal for the conference is related to the OIC. The OIC is a very important international organization for the Muslim world. It has more than 55 Muslim and non-Muslim countries that have big Muslim populations like India. If Iran and Turkey can create a security, stability, and peace council under the umbrella of the OIC, it will be a unique solution for Persian Gulf security. There is no such council/initiative in the Persian Gulf for security. Under the umbrella of the OIC, there is a cultural section, an economic section, and even a tourism section. But stability and security is not one of the subjects that the OIC is concerned about. It is really interesting but it is a reality. When we look at the problem and the risks in the Persian Gulf, it is necessary for all the countries, not just for Turkey and for Iran. And another point that I would like to talk about is that such an initiative would be beneficial for the Western countries as well. Because if the Persian Gulf region would be a peaceful and stable region, it would mean that energy sources and energy corridors would be safe for these powers. And we all know how energy is important for the United States and other Western countries. So that means if Turkey and Iran could create such an organizational council in the Persian Gulf, it would be so beneficial for all the world in terms of the energy corridor and energy security.
Q: What role can the Iranian government play in enhancing security in the region? Is holding expert meetings, like the conference on the Persian Gulf, an effective measure for dealing with the security issues facing the region?
A: You know it is just some theoretical presentation here, and it definitely takes some time to transfer this theoretical presentation to the decision-making process. But I think it is a unique opportunity for politicians and decision-makers because they can benefit from the ideas and proposals which scholars present in this conference, and they might find new solutions for the problems that arise in the Persian Gulf. On Iran’s role in the security of the region, I think the most important subject for Iran is that Iran has to explain itself very well to, first of all, the Arab countries. Turkey does not have too much of a problem understanding Iran, particularly Iran’s nuclear program. People in Turkey say Israel, the U.S., and Russia have nuclear power… but they (criticize) this country. And (Turkish) people support Iran’s efforts in its nuclear program. It doesn’t mean they support Iran manufacturing an atomic bomb. They support its scientific research. We believe that Iran’s nuclear program is run for scientific purposes.
Talking about Arab countries, this is a very important issue for Iran, because when we talk about the Islamic community in the world, it is not just the Persians and the Turks, there are many other nations and groups, many of which are Arab countries. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are powerful countries in the Muslim world. When you look at the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Egypt and Iran, you may see some problems and some misunderstandings. What Iran has to do is explain itself very well to the Sunni nations in the Persian Gulf. If it cannot do that and fails in this effort, it has no chance to be a regional power in the Persian Gulf. Yes, it has a huge missile capacity, big population, is a big country, but if you cannot talk with your neighbors, what are you going to do in the region? It is not a job that must be done only by Iran and Turkey. As I said, we need cooperation in the region. And I think the best address for this cooperation is the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Q: Are Turkish officials and citizens concerned about Iran’s military capabilities or its civilian nuclear program?
A: The politicians say that we definitely won’t accept an Iranian nuclear program with military aims. Because of the good relationship between the AKP (Justice and Development Party) in Turkey and Iran’s government, they see each other very frequently, but at the end of the day, Turkey and Iran are still rivals in the region. One of them is the center of the Sunni world due to the heritage from the Ottoman Empire, and the other one is a Shia center. At the end of the day, they are rivals in the region. This is the idea of politicians. Back to the people’s ideas, they definitely support Iran’s nuclear program for some reasons. They say, “If Israel has nuclear weapons and nobody says anything about this program and they do whatever they want, so what is the problem with Iran?” Or America has come from ten thousand kilometers away from the region, they have killed more than one million people in Iraq and nobody can say any word to the American people. So who cares about Iran? So, the man in the street supports Iran’s nuclear program in Turkey.
“The external powers that have come from ten thousand kilometers away from the Persian Gulf… can be considered the first threat for this region,” Sumer said in an interview with the Tehran Times conducted on November 23 on the sidelines of the 20th international conference on the Persian Gulf in Bandar Abbas, in the southern province of Hormozgan.
The 20th international conference on the Persian Gulf, entitled Comprehensive Cooperation in the Persian Gulf: Mechanisms for Development and Regional Stability, was held on the shores of the Persian Gulf from November 22 to 23.
Sumer presented an article entitled “The role of the Organization of the Islamic Conference as a stabilizing actor in the Persian Gulf” and gave a presentation on his article at one of the four expert panels held at the conference.
Sumer is a research assistant at the International Relations Department of the Biga Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, which is located in western Turkey.
Following is the text of the interview with Mr. Sumer:
Q: What are the main factors that destabilize the Persian Gulf region?
A: There are many factors that can be considered the risk factors in the Persian Gulf. As the first, I can say the external powers that have come from ten thousand kilometers away from the Persian Gulf and try to bring democracy to this region. This can be considered the first threat for this region. And the second factor can be the Iranian and Arab problems. Although they are both Muslim nations, but as we know, there are some deep and historical problems between Iran and Arab countries. So if we want to create stability in the Persian Gulf region, first of all we have to deal with external powers, and then Muslim countries must sit and start to talk about their problems without letting third parties come to the region and talk about their problems. If they cannot do it and they cannot talk about their problems, they cannot solve their problems, they can’t make a secure region in the Persian Gulf, and somebody else from ten thousand kilometers away may come and try to solve their problems in terms of their profits.
Q: So you are opposed to the presence of extra-regional powers in the Persian Gulf region?
A: Exactly. As you know, my proposal for the conference is related to the OIC. The OIC is a very important international organization for the Muslim world. It has more than 55 Muslim and non-Muslim countries that have big Muslim populations like India. If Iran and Turkey can create a security, stability, and peace council under the umbrella of the OIC, it will be a unique solution for Persian Gulf security. There is no such council/initiative in the Persian Gulf for security. Under the umbrella of the OIC, there is a cultural section, an economic section, and even a tourism section. But stability and security is not one of the subjects that the OIC is concerned about. It is really interesting but it is a reality. When we look at the problem and the risks in the Persian Gulf, it is necessary for all the countries, not just for Turkey and for Iran. And another point that I would like to talk about is that such an initiative would be beneficial for the Western countries as well. Because if the Persian Gulf region would be a peaceful and stable region, it would mean that energy sources and energy corridors would be safe for these powers. And we all know how energy is important for the United States and other Western countries. So that means if Turkey and Iran could create such an organizational council in the Persian Gulf, it would be so beneficial for all the world in terms of the energy corridor and energy security.
Q: What role can the Iranian government play in enhancing security in the region? Is holding expert meetings, like the conference on the Persian Gulf, an effective measure for dealing with the security issues facing the region?
A: You know it is just some theoretical presentation here, and it definitely takes some time to transfer this theoretical presentation to the decision-making process. But I think it is a unique opportunity for politicians and decision-makers because they can benefit from the ideas and proposals which scholars present in this conference, and they might find new solutions for the problems that arise in the Persian Gulf. On Iran’s role in the security of the region, I think the most important subject for Iran is that Iran has to explain itself very well to, first of all, the Arab countries. Turkey does not have too much of a problem understanding Iran, particularly Iran’s nuclear program. People in Turkey say Israel, the U.S., and Russia have nuclear power… but they (criticize) this country. And (Turkish) people support Iran’s efforts in its nuclear program. It doesn’t mean they support Iran manufacturing an atomic bomb. They support its scientific research. We believe that Iran’s nuclear program is run for scientific purposes.
Talking about Arab countries, this is a very important issue for Iran, because when we talk about the Islamic community in the world, it is not just the Persians and the Turks, there are many other nations and groups, many of which are Arab countries. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are powerful countries in the Muslim world. When you look at the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Egypt and Iran, you may see some problems and some misunderstandings. What Iran has to do is explain itself very well to the Sunni nations in the Persian Gulf. If it cannot do that and fails in this effort, it has no chance to be a regional power in the Persian Gulf. Yes, it has a huge missile capacity, big population, is a big country, but if you cannot talk with your neighbors, what are you going to do in the region? It is not a job that must be done only by Iran and Turkey. As I said, we need cooperation in the region. And I think the best address for this cooperation is the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Q: Are Turkish officials and citizens concerned about Iran’s military capabilities or its civilian nuclear program?
A: The politicians say that we definitely won’t accept an Iranian nuclear program with military aims. Because of the good relationship between the AKP (Justice and Development Party) in Turkey and Iran’s government, they see each other very frequently, but at the end of the day, Turkey and Iran are still rivals in the region. One of them is the center of the Sunni world due to the heritage from the Ottoman Empire, and the other one is a Shia center. At the end of the day, they are rivals in the region. This is the idea of politicians. Back to the people’s ideas, they definitely support Iran’s nuclear program for some reasons. They say, “If Israel has nuclear weapons and nobody says anything about this program and they do whatever they want, so what is the problem with Iran?” Or America has come from ten thousand kilometers away from the region, they have killed more than one million people in Iraq and nobody can say any word to the American people. So who cares about Iran? So, the man in the street supports Iran’s nuclear program in Turkey.
