83
1990s, it has been the subject of greater discussion in the Middle East since the Arab
Spring. Yet there remain serious challenges to a proactive Turkish foreign policy in
the region (Denoon 2015:297).
David Denoon argues that with the current tensions and political crises in Turkey
in the wake of the attempted coup and a spat of terrorist attacks, Western countries
cannot rely on the country to usher in the EU’s and US’ desired influence in Central
Asia and the Middle East, and rather must view Turkey as self-reliant and an equal
regional partner where mutual interests converge. This cooperation must be built on
mutual benefit and respect to both sides. Turkey thus has the potential to serve as a
valued partner for regional security and the stability of energy exporting countries
in the Middle East and Turkic Countries in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea
(Denoon 2015:297).
Turkey’s deficiencies and weaknesses in democracy and human rights should not
prevent such cooperation. Perhaps these kinds of developments will be an important
opportunity for Turkey. It will be realized that it is not impossible to reach stability
by respecting democracy and human rights and that perhaps the real requisite for
real and continuous stability is this. With the cooperation established among various
parties, interest groups, and those forming the public opinion, the problems on the
agenda may go beyond the local level and may even become solvable. In this way,
opposing parties in all countries can find other platforms to maintain their assets and
become familiar with regional and world realities by going to other countries.
Turkey’s attempts toward advancing and settling democratic and constitutional
organizations in the Turkic Republics will be beneficial for both Turkey and the
region, and hence for world peace (Yalçınkaya 1998:293).
Turkey Energy Strategy
Taner Yıldız, the former Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources,
announced in December 2014, a new “Strategic Plan,” which was a 5-year plan aiming to increase its shares of wind, solar, hydroelectric, and biomass resources in
Turkey’s energy production facilities. Turkey has plans to build the world’s largest
solar energy center with the target of meeting approximately 50% of its electricity
needs from renewable sources by 2030 (www.dunya.com 2016a, b).
The primary supporting elements of the Strategic Plan are ensuring supply and
demand security, supplying raw material security, diversifying energy sources,
increasing natural gas storage capacity, and increasing the share of the available
renewable energy. Moreover, the plan draws greater attention to using energy efficiently, to environmentally friendly energy policies, to the advancement of the
national technology and scientific research, and to the further pursuit of an active
role both in the regional and world energy market (www.enerji.gov.t 2015). During
the year 2015, Turkey attached great importance to domestic and renewable energy
resources to generate electricity. Meanwhile, the consumption of natural gas is on
Turkey
1990s, it has been the subject of greater discussion in the Middle East since the Arab
Spring. Yet there remain serious challenges to a proactive Turkish foreign policy in
the region (Denoon 2015:297).
David Denoon argues that with the current tensions and political crises in Turkey
in the wake of the attempted coup and a spat of terrorist attacks, Western countries
cannot rely on the country to usher in the EU’s and US’ desired influence in Central
Asia and the Middle East, and rather must view Turkey as self-reliant and an equal
regional partner where mutual interests converge. This cooperation must be built on
mutual benefit and respect to both sides. Turkey thus has the potential to serve as a
valued partner for regional security and the stability of energy exporting countries
in the Middle East and Turkic Countries in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea
(Denoon 2015:297).
Turkey’s deficiencies and weaknesses in democracy and human rights should not
prevent such cooperation. Perhaps these kinds of developments will be an important
opportunity for Turkey. It will be realized that it is not impossible to reach stability
by respecting democracy and human rights and that perhaps the real requisite for
real and continuous stability is this. With the cooperation established among various
parties, interest groups, and those forming the public opinion, the problems on the
agenda may go beyond the local level and may even become solvable. In this way,
opposing parties in all countries can find other platforms to maintain their assets and
become familiar with regional and world realities by going to other countries.
Turkey’s attempts toward advancing and settling democratic and constitutional
organizations in the Turkic Republics will be beneficial for both Turkey and the
region, and hence for world peace (Yalçınkaya 1998:293).
Turkey Energy Strategy
Taner Yıldız, the former Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources,
announced in December 2014, a new “Strategic Plan,” which was a 5-year plan aiming to increase its shares of wind, solar, hydroelectric, and biomass resources in
Turkey’s energy production facilities. Turkey has plans to build the world’s largest
solar energy center with the target of meeting approximately 50% of its electricity
needs from renewable sources by 2030 (www.dunya.com 2016a, b).
The primary supporting elements of the Strategic Plan are ensuring supply and
demand security, supplying raw material security, diversifying energy sources,
increasing natural gas storage capacity, and increasing the share of the available
renewable energy. Moreover, the plan draws greater attention to using energy efficiently, to environmentally friendly energy policies, to the advancement of the
national technology and scientific research, and to the further pursuit of an active
role both in the regional and world energy market (www.enerji.gov.t 2015). During
the year 2015, Turkey attached great importance to domestic and renewable energy
resources to generate electricity. Meanwhile, the consumption of natural gas is on
Turkey