Another reason to watch Turkey: TANAP

You really can’t begin to understand conflicts in the Middle East without this specific issue — Oil. See my previous posts about the Caspian Sea.

PM Davutoglu calls TANAP project ‘dream come true’
World Bulletin online
19 September 2014

Davutoglu describes the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline as a peace project connecting Caucasus to Balkans. The Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, TANAP – a pipeline that will transport gas from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz field to Europe through Turkey – will be a dream come true, Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Thursday ahead of his official visit to Azerbaijan.

Following Davutoglu’s upcoming talks on Friday on bilateral relations and regional and international developments with Azerbaijani officials, the TANAP project foundations will be laid Saturday which Davutoglu described as a ‘peace project’ that will connect the Caucasus with the Balkans.

An estimated 6 billion cubic meters of gas will be delivered to Turkey and 10 billion cubic meters to Europe via the TANAP pipeline which is projected to be opened in 2018 and in which Turkey has a 30 percent share in the project.

Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev signed the memorandum of understanding on the TANAP on 26 May, 2014.

http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/144684/pm-davutoglu-calls-tanap-project-dream-come-true

For more indepth, historical and detailed information, please see:

Turkey and the new energy politics of the Black Sea region
Black Sea News
25 February 2013

Mitat CELIKPALA,
Associate Professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University, Istanbul

Turkey signed two significant energy agreements at the end of 2011. As a consequence, these accords set off a new competition for natural gas-centered energy projects around Turkey. Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Iran and the European Union are the main actors in this contest. This paper aims to assess all the related and ensuing developments in the Black Sea Region through the lenses of Turkey’s role, strategy and priorities….

Conclusion

In sum, the Turkey-centric energy game in the region embracing the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Middle East and Europe is reminiscent of the 2004- 2008 period, during which energy prices and the competition for constructing alternative pipelines peaked.

http://www.blackseanews.net/en/read/57572

Turkey bears watching

Shades of Russia and Vladimir Putin

Ever since August 10, 2014 when the former Prime Minister was elected President of Turkey I have been more interested in the history and politics of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (pronounced ray’-chep tay’-ipp err’-do-wan).

He has a long history to study, actually. While he and his political party claim to be “secular” in their thinking about Turkey’s government and its future, his past actions and relationships declare a decided Islamic viewpoint. (His religion is Sunni Muslim.)

Take a look at this informative article from BBC news:

Profile: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The Turkish leader intends to enhance the powers of the presidency, which he could hold until 2023.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is arguably the most successful leader in Turkey’s democratic history. After 11 years as prime minister, he will now become his country’s first directly-elected president, in what has been until now a largely ceremonial role.

But critics have increasingly accused the 60-year-old leader of polarising the country – by brooking no dissent and harboring a secret agenda to turn Turkey into a religious society.

He has dominated the political landscape since 2002, steering his Islamist-leaning Justice and Development (AK) Party party to three general election victories.

For the complete article, see http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-13746679

For much, much more on his personal and political life, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan

Then just today, this somewhat troubling article appeared in my inbox:

Have Plans For The Antichrist Confederacy Just Been Announced In Turkey?
Prophecy News Watch online
September 04, 2014

In an amazing announcement that just came out today and was published throughout the Muslim world, including even CNN Arabic Version, The Chairman of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi whose union represents the largest body of Muslim scholars worldwide and on their behalf just announced in Turkey that:

“The Caliphate in today’s age must be established through a number of several states that are governed by Shariah and supported by both, the rulers and the people in the form of a federation or confederation and not as it was in the past.” (emphasis mine)

By this, the Muslim union of scholars lead by Qaradawi is setting up the theological precedence by announcing that a future confederacy of Muslim nations must and will be established and centered in the land of the Muslim Caliphate in Turkey.

What Qaradawi is speaking of should be seriously noted since the interpretation of the prophecy of a future confederacy of ten-nations is found in four major passages of Scripture and is a determinative issue in any system of prophetic interpretation and are the key to the total prophetic outlook regarding this emerging Antichrist confederacy of different states mentioned in at least four major Scripture passages (Dan 2:31-35, 40-45; 7:7-8, 19-24; Rev 13:1-2; 17:3, 7, 12-16).

These passages either directly or by implication prophesy a ten-kingdom confederation, which will be an important aspect of the end-time political situation.

What we see here is the beginning embryo and birth of a grand idea set by between Erdogan and the spiritual head of the Sunni Muslim world in which its declared that such confederacy for the Caliphate will be established in Istanbul, Turkey as the center for all these different states…..

Qaradawi is currently paving the way for Turkey to ultimately invade Egypt… “He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushitese in submission.” (Daniel 11:42)

Read the entire article at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/September04/043.html

After reading all that, I searched for more information about Qaradawi and found this recent article (video) online:

Al-Qaradawi supports, praises Erdogan

Social media activists circulated a video of Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, calling for supporting Recep Tayyib Erdogan in the last presidential elections which Erdogan recently won.

Al-Qaradawi said Erdogan is supported by Allah, Jibreel (Angel Gabriel) and the righteous believers; while the all angels are his backers. He also described Istanbul as the capital of the Islamic Caliphate. (emphasis mine)

See more at:  http://www.el-balad.com/1106255#sthash.iQgR6yBe.dpuf

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on activities and developments coming out of Turkey in the days ahead.