Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu Meets Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki
The Turkish FM is meeting his Iranian counterpart in a putative effort to rescue the nuclear swap deal, which would involve Iran sending its fuel abroad for enrichment.
The AKP government in Turkey has used Iran's increasing isolation as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the two states. Turkey was one of the first countries to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his "reelection." This is part of Turkey's new foreign policy outlook, which seeks to end differences with neighbors through talks. However, such a policy, while a refreshing change from Kemalist fearmongering, has its limits. In the end, you need to pursue interests. And it is difficult to see how a nuclear-armed Iran is in Turkey's interest.
Analysis from Semih Idiz of Millyet:
The point is that Iran insists on playing a dangerously defiant game. And this is happening regardless of the extremely friendly exhortations from Turkey, which today acts more like an advocate of that country against the West than a neutral nation trying to broker an understanding between the two sides.
It is this attitude of Turkey’s that has complicated the country’s own position. Put simply, by cozying up to the increasingly despotic Ahmadinejad regime – and many argue this is due to feelings of Islamic solidarity – the Turkish government has undermined its chances for mediation with regard to this topic.
...The only bargaining, if any is still possible, will have to center on the modalities of the “uranium swap” formula proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, whereby Tehran hands over its uranium to a third party and in return receives the amount of enriched uranium it needs for medical purposes.
The problem here, however, is that Iran is not prepared to do this, regardless of some ambiguous remarks coming from Tehran that it may partially accept this proposal.
The AKP government in Turkey has used Iran's increasing isolation as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the two states. Turkey was one of the first countries to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his "reelection." This is part of Turkey's new foreign policy outlook, which seeks to end differences with neighbors through talks. However, such a policy, while a refreshing change from Kemalist fearmongering, has its limits. In the end, you need to pursue interests. And it is difficult to see how a nuclear-armed Iran is in Turkey's interest.
Analysis from Semih Idiz of Millyet:
The point is that Iran insists on playing a dangerously defiant game. And this is happening regardless of the extremely friendly exhortations from Turkey, which today acts more like an advocate of that country against the West than a neutral nation trying to broker an understanding between the two sides.
It is this attitude of Turkey’s that has complicated the country’s own position. Put simply, by cozying up to the increasingly despotic Ahmadinejad regime – and many argue this is due to feelings of Islamic solidarity – the Turkish government has undermined its chances for mediation with regard to this topic.
...The only bargaining, if any is still possible, will have to center on the modalities of the “uranium swap” formula proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, whereby Tehran hands over its uranium to a third party and in return receives the amount of enriched uranium it needs for medical purposes.
The problem here, however, is that Iran is not prepared to do this, regardless of some ambiguous remarks coming from Tehran that it may partially accept this proposal.
