Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your seats because the winds of global power are shifting, and Turkey is right at the heart of it. On June 3rd, Ankara’s chief diplomat, Hakan Fidan, unveiled a tantalizing prospect: Turkey might just be eyeing a seat at the BRICS table. Yes, you heard that right. Turkey, under the ever-watchful eye of Fidan, has embarked on a three-day diplomatic mission to China, where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, Fidan’s agenda includes attending a crucial BRICS meeting in Russia next week. This gathering in Nizhny Novgorod will see foreign ministers from the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—along with potential new members like Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. This isn’t just a meeting; it’s a prelude to an October summit in Kazan, the heart of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan.
Now, let’s break this down. Fidan has made it clear that BRICS represents a “good alternative” to the European Union for Turkey. Why? Because Turkey’s relationship with the EU has been fraught with identity politics and perpetual roadblocks, despite years of effort to join the union. As Fidan rightly points out, Turkey needs to explore other avenues. And BRICS, with its promise of economic cooperation, might just be the ticket.
Turkey, currently in a customs union with Brussels, is now casting a wide net for new partnerships. Emerging economies like those in BRICS offer fertile ground for growth and collaboration. Fidan didn’t mince words, asserting that Turkey’s exclusion from the EU was never about merit but about politics. So, Turkey is now looking elsewhere, and BRICS is on the radar.
“Certainly, we would like to become a member of BRICS,” Fidan remarked at the Centre for China and Globalisation in Beijing. This is a significant statement, folks. It’s not just rhetoric; it’s a signal of Turkey’s strategic pivot.
Fidan’s visit to China included meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice-President Han Zheng. The discussions centered around revitalizing joint investment projects, particularly in key infrastructure, where Chinese investment has slowed down. This slowdown is a concern that Fidan aims to address head-on.
But let’s not overlook the broader implications. Turkey’s foreign policy is nothing if not transactional, often playing one power bloc against another. Situated at a geopolitical crossroads—linking Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Iran, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia—Turkey is a pivotal player that no global power can afford to ignore.
President Erdogan, six years ago, appealed to BRICS leaders to admit Turkey into their ranks. Yet, Turkish officials have since been conspicuously absent from BRICS gatherings. Even last year, during a BRICS national security advisors meeting in Johannesburg, Turkey’s presence was minimal.
So, what does this mean for Turkey, a NATO member? If Turkey makes a definitive move towards BRICS, expect a backlash from the West. The stakes are high, and the diplomatic chess game is in full swing.
In conclusion, Hakan Fidan’s remarks on BRICS are not just diplomatic pleasantries. They reflect a calculated maneuver in Turkey’s ongoing quest for greater economic and geopolitical leverage. As always, stay tuned, because in this global power play, every move counts.
