Turkey's Energy Strategy and the Middle East: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Abstract

This article examines Turkey's energy relations with the Middle East from a perspective of opportunities and limitations brought about by the structure of Turkey's general energy relations. As Turkish foreign policy and energy strategy become increasingly integrated Turkish-Middle East energy relations offer a solid test case on the soundness and applicability of not only Turkey's energy strategy but also for the success of Turkey's foreign policy during the last decade. Analyzing Middle East energy and the structure of Turkey's energy (im)balances this article goes on to explore Turkey's energy relations with individual Middle East countries and questions the results achieved. While doing so it also puts and evaluates Turkey's energy strategy within the context of Turkish foreign policy. It argues that as the result of diverse effects and influences of policies observed by Turkish officials as well as an array of structural factors the gains of Turkey's energy strategy and its future success remains questionable while the case of energy strategy provides a telling case on the success of Turkish foreign policy.