The next two weeks are going to be a whirlwind.
We can start with Germany, France and Italy’s threat at the European Union Foreign Ministers’ meeting saying that if the UN decision reached to completely halt the entry of all weapons and ammunition into Libya is not implemented that the EU will start imposing sanctions.
Yet, “Who are they going to impose sanctions on?” is a good question. On Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, or even Russia? Are they going to impose sanctions on their partners? How are they going to impose it on Turkey when they are unable to slam those countries with sanctions? There is no sense behind their obstinacy. Simultaneously, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi was also invited to the Tobruk parliament, while some of the tribes in Libya also visited Cairo.
We already know that the legitimate Libyan government and all the powers backing it are making preparations, particularly for a military operation into Sirte, and that they are forming strong military buildups for this, that they can “charge” at any moment.
Following Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar’s visit to Qatar and meeting with the emir; receiving ministers from both Malta and Libya in Ankara; Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu starting a two-day visit to Africa (Togo, Niger, Equatorial Guinea); the pressures by the UAE on Egypt and Ethiopia to send troops to Libya in exchange for support to the increasingly escalating “water dam” crisis; its invitation of a nearly 50-person top-level Egyptian delegation – soldiers/diplomats/politicians – to Abu Dhabi and hosting them with respect to the same subject; French President Emmanuel Macron’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and announcing this on his Twitter account saying, “We held a great Libya meeting with my friend Trump” ; putschist Sisi and President Trump also holding another meeting immediately after; Turkey’s Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın’s statement saying, “We have no intention of clashing with Egypt”; the Algerian president’s statement saying, “The arming of tribes is truly very dangerous. There would be a new Somalia with no solution at all”; and lastly, the Cairo parliament’s approval of the decision that authorizes Sisi to send troops to Libya.
This is the fuel to the fire.
Now open your eyes as wide as possible.
Take a look at the crisis – in fact, the war – between Azerbaijan and Armenia! Turkey’s statement along the lines of “Come to your senses, whatever Azerbaijan says goes.” The strategic deal between China and Iran and its approval by the Tehran council. What about Iran’s role in Armenia! Or Azerbaijan’s role in Iran! Serial explosions in Iran. The meeting between Iraqi and Iranian foreign ministers. Israel bombing Damascus while elections are being held there, and attacks on Iranian presences in other areas. Serbian weapon aid to Armenia as the clashes between Baku and Yerevan continue. Armenia: “We will strike Mingachevir Dam.” Azerbaijan saying, “We will strike Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.” The Caucasus crisis. The Georgia-Black Sea- Crimea-Balkans-Ukraine line. The U.S. threat, “TurkStream and NorthStream partners will either withdraw from these projects or suffer the consequences,” which it later said was not intended for Turkey. In other words, two incidents at once that are threatening European energy security. U.S. and French battleships that crossed over to the Black Sea for drills. The hospitalization of Saudi Arabia’s king. The Kuwaiti emir also being under observation due to health problems.
This is the fire!
Wrap it all up and bring it all to Libya.
When you reduce it all to the Libya-Mediterranean crisis, you will see both the field and the diplomacy table are on fire.
The only missing piece – or, perhaps least known – is Turkey and Russia!
It must be noted that the Kremlin gave a most dangerous order amid all these developments.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu at 3 a.m. and commanded, “It will be done now,” which was announced in Western media as a “snap and massive” command, which in fact encapsulates all maps.
A drill was launched targeting all of the Caucasus, with the Black Sea and Caspian at its center, with 150,000 troops, 414 warcraft, 106 battleships, and 35 land and 17 sea bases.
Regarding Libya, it was said that the Government of National Accord (GNA) would also be joining the meeting between Turkish and Russian delegations in Ankara yesterday. If you remember, these delegations could not make any progress on June 13-14 and the the meeting was concluded. These meetings are a continuation of that process. If the ministers meet, we will derive that progress has been made and that fresh developments are at hand.
If they are unable to reach an agreement once more, it means another meeting is on the books and a re-evaluation will take place.
Escalating tensions on the ground and the Tripoli government closing off its airspace for 15 days shows that the hourglass has been turned over and cannot be stopped.
What will Turkey do amid the countless series of developments?
The others think we are like them. Yet they should have learned by now; Turkey’s foreign policy is the world’s plainest and simplest. Therefore, its error rate is also very low.
It is: “We are one of the rare states with no stain of colonialism and massacre in its history. With this glow of pride, we are going to continue to act like a country that does not set its sights on another’s rights, but will claim its own rights, even if it be by force.”
This is all.
Thus, continuing to ask, “What are we going to do in Libya, what is going to be done in the Azerbaijan-Armenia crisis, what is going to be done in the Mediterranean, Syria, Iraq, etc.” is irrelevant.
If you are still asking, you have your answer: “We are closely following recent developments. Nobody should make mountains over molehills; we are not going to allow that either.”
