Erdogan's interview with Newsweek

[Eşbah]

Erdogan’s New World Order: Turkey Won’t Choose East or West​

Erdogan’s new world order: Turkey won’t choose east or west

In an exclusive Newsweek interview, the president says the world’s power is shifting—and Turkey won’t be forced to pick a side.

www.newsweek.com

"We do not believe it is right to impose on Türkiye a choice between 'the West or the East,'" Erdogan said.

What Erdogan Told Newsweek​

• Turkey could provide military support if Saudi Arabia or Pakistan is attacked. Erdogan said the new Mecca Joint Defence Agreement considers an armed attack on one member an attack on all. Support could include intelligence, logistics and ammunition—and, depending on the threat, "more advanced military support."
• He believes the global balance of power is fundamentally changing. "The world's center of gravity is shifting," Erdogan said, arguing that emerging powers should receive a greater role in international decision-making and calling for reform of the U.N. Security Council.
• Turkey will not choose between East and West. Erdogan said Ankara intends simultaneously to strengthen its role in NATO and deepen relationships with China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, ASEAN and other emerging centers of power.
• He is positioning Turkey between Washington and Tehran. "The United States is our ally within NATO. Iran is our neighbor," Erdogan said, describing open channels with both Trump and Iranian officials in an attempt to prevent the conflict spreading.
• He rejected the idea of an inevitable confrontation with Israel. Erdogan pushed back against Israeli rhetoric portraying Turkey as a potential next threat after Iran, while saying Ankara would closely monitor actions affecting its security.
• He sees no contradiction between NATO membership and talking to Putin. Erdogan said Turkey's ability to maintain direct contact with both Moscow and Kyiv is precisely what allows it to act as a mediator in the Ukraine war.

The result is a foreign policy built less around picking a camp than occupying the increasingly valuable space between them.

For Erdogan, Turkey's geography—straddling Europe, Asia and the Middle East—is not a complication but its greatest advantage.​

 

[Eşbah]

Very interesting and rare interview with him. He is very explicit about his views on Türkiye’s position and where he sees the country in the Middle East and on the global stage.

 

[Eşbah]

Erdoğan said the Mecca Alliance means an armed attack on Saudi Arabia is considered an attack on Türkiye and Pakistan too.

However, he clarified that a Houthi attack from Yemen would not automatically mean Turkish or Pakistani troops enter the war. The response would depend on the scale of the attack and Saudi Arabia’s request, potentially including military support.

So: collective defense, but not automatic war.

It is clear that Islamabad and Ankara have different ideas of the alliance. Turkish government officials even said that Iran could potentially join the alliance in the future.

 

[hyperman]

Turkish government officials even said that Iran could potentially join the alliance in the future.

That probably more rhetoric than anything tangible, more to reassure the Iranians that this alliance isn't about them. Because there is Zero chance Saudi will accept Iran in the same alliance as itself. Honestly I'm shocked a bit they even joined the Turkey Pakistan alliance, I suspect this was initially supposed to be a Bilateral thing, but the Pakistanis suggested including Saudi as they already had a similar Bilateral arrangement with the Saudis, and Turkey saw benefit in Saudi money reenforcing the defense sector via purchases and investment potentially.