The New Great Game Round-Up #54

The Great Game Round-Up brings you the latest newsworthy developments regarding Central Asia and the Caucasus region. We document the struggle for influence, power, hegemony and profits between a U.S.-dominated NATO, its GCC proxies, Russia, China and other regional players.

With the exception of Uzbekistan's leader Islam Karimov, the presidents of all Turkic countries travelled to Turkey this week for the 4th summit of the Turkic Council. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attended the summit personally for the first time indicating that Turkmenistan is ready to upgrade its status in the organization from observer to full member. Berdimuhamedov had already arrived a few days before the summit to discuss the strengthening of Turkey-Turkmenistan ties with top officials in Ankara. The two countries are set to sign a free trade agreement next year and Turkish President Abdullah Gül stressed during his meeting with Berdimuhamedov that Turkey “is ready to carry Turkmen gas to European markets.” Both Ankara and Ashgabat have repeatedly voiced their interest in delivering gas from the Central Asian republic to Europe, which has so far lost out to China in the quest for Turkmen gas. In the light of recent events, Europe and Turkmenistan have ample reason to finally implement this project:

Turkic leaders pledge energy, tourism cooperation

“Trying to reduce its dependency on Russian natural gas, Europe wants Turkmen gas supplies more than ever,” said Guner Ozkan, Caucasus and Caspian regions expert at the Ankara-based think-tank International Strategic Research Organization told the Anadolu Agency in an interview.

However, Ozkan pointed out that Russia is the strongest player in the Caspian region and it would be wrong to believe that Russia would not “intervene” in a project that will go through the Caspian and reach Europe to supply an alternative to Russian gas.

“The recent $400 billion agreement between Russia and China, will soften up Turkmenistan’s gas price negotiations with China,” Ozkan said, adding, “Turkmenistan needs alternative markets as well and reaching Europe through Turkey is imperative from this perspective.”

© Photo Ministry of Foreign Affairs Turkey

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