New regional initiatives and normalization steps will accelerate in 2022, Turkey's Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın said.
Speaking to the Turkish political magazine Kriter, Kalın said that Turkey responds to any positive steps taken toward it.
"We do not leave the hand of anyone who reaches out to us. Whoever takes a friendly step toward us, we take two steps. We care about leaving the periodic crises and tensions behind and taking new normalization steps," he said.
Noting that Turkey evaluates the recent steps taken with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within this perspective, Kalın added that new steps can follow this process.
"We believe that all these are steps that will contribute to our national interests, regional vision and global peace," he added.
The year 2021 saw Turkey seeking warmer ties with several regional countries and long-time foes after many tumultuous years. Ankara reiterated that Turkey hopes to maximize its cooperation with Egypt and Gulf nations "on a win-win basis," at a time when Ankara intensified diplomacy to mend its fraught ties with Cairo and some Gulf nations after years of tensions.
Converging interests have driven regional power shifts in the Middle East, mainly led by regional powerhouses Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) visited Turkey for the first time since 2012 in November. Erdoğan and MBZ, who is seen as the de facto leader of the UAE and the force behind its foreign policy stance, oversaw the signing of nearly a dozen cooperation deals during the visit, while a top Emirati official said the UAE has earmarked $10 billion for investment in Turkey. The president will pay a visit to the UAE in February.
Similarly, Ankara and Cairo have recently exchanged positive signals in an attempt to restore relations after more than seven years of political estrangement.
In May, a delegation of senior Turkish officials traveled to Egypt for an official visit, the first since 2013, to discuss normalizing diplomatic relations amid efforts by the two countries to improve ties that deteriorated following the Arab Spring – the move was reciprocated by a second round in Ankara. Turkey has called on Egypt to cooperate in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying a maritime deal with Ankara would be more beneficial for Cairo than one with Greece.
Moreover, Ankara and Riyadh have in recent months attempted to repair some diplomatic damage after a decade of tension, especially after the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate. Aside from the Khashoggi incident, Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with Israel, support of the coup in Egypt and its stance on Libya and Syria have been other points of contention.
Most recently, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said he will visit Saudi Arabia next month, the Turkish leader's first since the Khashoggi murder.
Kalın also touched upon the relations between Turkey and the United States, saying that there are serious problems in the U.S.' perception of Turkey.
"The instrumental and interactional perspective does not reflect the spirit of alliance. Turkey demands to establish an equal, fair and transparent relationship with everyone, including the U.S. Of course, each country puts its own national interest first. But if you define your national interests on too narrow and selfish grounds, you jeopardize your fundamental and long-term interests."
NATO allies Ankara and Washington have been at odds over a host of issues, from Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems – a move that drew U.S. sanctions last year – to regional policy differences, human rights, legal matters and the U.S. support to the PKK terrorist group's Syrian branch, the YPG.
He reiterated that Ankara's main expectations from Washington are to stop supporting the YPG, to take a realistic and constructive stance on the S-400s and to take decisive and fruitful steps against the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ).
"In issues such as the Eastern Mediterranean, the U.S. administration and Congress must take a reasonable and impartial stance. Policies on Turkey, built under the influence of certain lobbies and interest groups, are of no use to anyone. Everyone should know that Turkey will not bow to pressure from any lobby or interest group. There is no chance of implementing a policy that does not take into account Turkey's national security threats," he said.
"We are currently working on a new mechanism to establish a common and positive agenda with the U.S. With a strategic perspective and a constructive attitude, we can make problems more manageable. This allows us to work more closely in the areas we agree on. For all these, more radical steps need to be taken so that our strategic perspectives overlap," Kalın added.
