Turkey Emerges as Major Regional Player

I have just read an excellent article from the China and Eurasia Forum Quarterly, Volume 7, No. 4 (2009) pp. 73-94 entitled  Between Russia and the West: Turkey as an Emerging Power and the Case of Abkhazia 

The writer is Laurent Vinatier, PhD, Institute of Political Studies, Paris, France, is Research Fellow at Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turkey.  He has a deep understanding of the conflicts in the Caucasus and Turkey's potential role as a mediator between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno Karabakh.  Mr. Vinatier also writes about Turkey , Russia, Georgia and Abkhazia.  He seems to have a good understanding of the role of the Abkhaz diaspora, too. Mr. Vinatier feels that Turkey's role as an important regional player will grow since it has a proactive foreign policy and it sits at an important energy crossroads between the Middle East and Europe.

I have felt for some time that Turkey is an a very interesting position.  Their government has developed a "zero problems with neighbors" policy that seems to be very effective and they are a natural go between with Iran.  The writer feels that Turkey will have an increasing role to play in the Black and Caspian Sea Regions, along with Russia and Iran.  I think anyone with an interest in the region should read this.  It is the best I have read on the subject.  Please note that the entire quarterly publication is worth reading, there is fascinating reading on Central Asia, but the section dealing with the Caucasus Region begins on page 73.