More energy ties bringing Turkey and Iran together


Natural economics and geography always tend to trump ideology - especially when the latter is nigh unto illiteracy.


For the geographically-impaired

One casualty of the Bush administration’s ambiguous attempts to mollify Turkey over the issue of clamping down on Kurdish insurgents in northern Iraq may well be Washington’s larger agenda of isolating Iran.

Ankara and Tehran have signed $1.5 billion in agreements providing for the joint construction of three 2,000-megawatt thermal power plants — two in Iran and one in Turkey, and several hydroelectric plants in Iran with a total 10,000-megawatt capability. The agreements also provide for upgrading electrical power transmission lines between the two countries. Under terms of the agreement, Ankara will import 3 billion to 6 billion kilowatt hours of electrical energy annually…

The agreement comes in direct contradiction to Washington’s policy of further isolating Iran over its controversial uranium enrichment program…

During last week’s joint news conference in Istanbul with Iranian Energy Minister Parviz Fattah, Guler said, “The signing (of agreements) will continue. Our efforts are continuing…Our improving ties may annoy some circles but they will harm no one. They have to accept that.”…

Washington has nothing to offer Ankara in the energy sphere except criticism. The Erdogan government, as a necessity, has accordingly moved national energy concerns ahead of placating U.S. foreign-policy initiatives.

It’s thrilling to watch that skilled neocon diplomacy in action.

Posted: Mon - December 3, 2007 at 07:07 AM