TURKISH PM ERDOGAN VISITS KAZAKHSTAN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid an official visit to Kazakhstan coinciding with the first days of the Fifth Astana Economic Forum, which was officially launched on May 23. During his stay in Kazakhstan’s capital, the Turkish leader met with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, took part in the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum and also attended the inaugural session of a large-scale economic gathering traditionally held in the last weeks of May.
According to most experts, Erdogan’s visit was extremely successful in terms of further boosting Kazakh-Turkish cooperation and expanding Turkey’s influence in the most developed country of Central Asia. In the presence of both leaders, 17 intergovernmental agreements were signed, amounting to more than US$ 1 billion. They concern such spheres of mutual interest as agriculture, chemical industries, transport and construction, and are aimed at implementing ambitious projects, otherwise impossible without coordinated joint investment.
Turkey remains one of Kazakhstan’s primary economic partners. The volume of Turkish investments into the Kazakh economy has equaled around US$ 1.8 billion since 1993, of which almost US$ 600 million were provided in the last eight years, when the number of joint ventures grew especially quickly. In accordance with the official statistics, more than 3,440 Turkish-owned companies are now represented on the Kazakh market. In contrast, the presence of Kazakh businesses in Turkey is relatively limited – only 150 companies owned by Kazakh citizens are officially registered in Turkey.
During Erdogan’s visit to Kazakhstan, the leaders of both countries also attended the signing of a joint economic program known as the New Synergy. This strategic document provides for intensified cooperation in trade and investment related areas, declaring as its desired goal the growth of the bilateral trade turnover up to US$ 10 billion from US$ 3 billion achieved last year. At the same time, Erdogan and Nazarbayev agreed to establish the Council of Strategic Cooperation between Turkey and Kazakhstan, whose main responsibility will be to follow bilateral contacts at the highest possible level. Among the projects discussed in Astana, the Kazakh-Turkish industrial zone received special attention. This zone of 40 hectares will be situated in the South Kazakhstan region not far from a local airport and a few kilometers away from the Western Europe-Western China highway. It is expected that representatives of over 150 of the largest Turkish companies will soon be visiting the proposed site of a new industrial complex.
Another topic broached in talks between the two leaders is the eventual connection of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railroad to the Turkish rail system. This project clearly reflects Ankara’s willingness to play a more active role in the economic development of Central Asia, by reaching out to Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan with its technologies and merchandise. This is especially true in the context of Erdogan’s recent visit to Islamabad where he spoke of his country’s intention to stay in Afghanistan after the departure of all other NATO members and promised substantial financial and technical aid to the region as a sign of Turkey’s good will.
In turn, Nazarbayev reiterated his full support of the Turkish candidacy for the upgraded position of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Given the scope and scale of ongoing geopolitical shifts in the Middle East, with the effects of the Arab Spring and the continuing turmoil in Syria, Turkey is visibly prepared to embrace a larger role in regional affairs. The framework provided by the SCO represents an ideal setting in which Ankara’s renewed ambitions could be easily accommodated. However, the final decision on the future status of Turkey in the SCO will be taken during the upcoming SCO summit in Beijing on June 6 and 7. In this regard, Turkey’s membership in NATO may pose a problem, as Russia-NATO relations are currently in a deadlock over the projected missile defense shield in Eastern Europe. Conversely, Turkey’s unique position in the Organization is capable of granting it the role of a mediator in Russia-U.S. relations, which will certainly further enhance its regional leadership in wider Central Asia.
Kazakhstan’s expert community has generally positive views about the prospects of Kazakh-Turkish cooperation. According to the political observer Aidos Sarym, Erdogan’s visit is “important not only for the amount of contracts signed but also for their strategic relevance.” For economist Auez Karabalayev, Turkey has once again demonstrated its deep interest in strengthening economic ties with Kazakhstan. Another political expert, Eduard Poletayev, believes that Turkey is currently a second-tier power, with its political capabilities severely limited by Russia’s and China’s historic influence. It is interesting to note that President Nazarbayev chose for the first time in the history of official visits to Kazakhstan to greet a foreign leader together with his eldest daughter Dariga, which led some observers to speculate on her own political future.
