In 2100, when the world population will have reached 11.3 billion, with 4.9 billion people in Asia and 4.4 billion people maintaining their lives in Africa, the Eurasian corridor - with Turkey at its center of gravity - will be one of world history's most spectacular and most strategic geographies, hosting the most ambitious highway, railway and energy lines.
Turkey will be one of the most critically important junctures of the $40 trillion worth trade of goods and $10 trillion trade of services that is expected to take place between these two giant continents. Considering that the "oil age" will de facto begin to shut down from 2040 onward, 2040-2100 will represent a period where the global energy demand will be met mainly by natural gas and renewable energy resources. This is why while natural gas players such as Russia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Turkmenistan come forward, many oil producing Arab countries in the Gulf will be excluded from the "global energy game."
The strategic partnership between Russia and Turkey that is deepening at many levels is motivating both countries to act together in terms of regional and global moves in the global energy game. At this point, the "Turkish Stream," which will strengthen Russia's hand in meeting the energy demand of Europe, will also provide an opportunity for Russia to bypass the "Ukraine" corridor thanks to Turkey.
The tension between Russia and Ukraine that stigmatized the last 10 years has put forward a very dangerous issue of, on top of Ukraine seizing the natural gas of other countries passing through the pipeline in its territory, the pipeline being left unmaintained.
Therefore, the "Turkish Stream" that consists of two separate pipelines gives Turkey the opportunity to leave a "Turkish" mark in the global war on energy corridors, moreover, strengthen Turkey's irreplaceable position for Europe's energy supply security. Including the "North-South Transportation Corridor" negotiations between Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and India, as the historic "corridors war" from East to West and South is accelerating, we will continue to leave the "Turkish" mark on these corridors.
'Course' problem in EU's internal order
Considering the serious risks faced by the European Union (EU) in the short and medium term, and in a conjuncture where Germany and France - who are aware of these risks - are putting forth a significant effort to normalize relations with Turkey, some "strange" developments are taking place. It is not a simple incident that the European Parliament (EP) rapporteur Katie Pirie included the sentence "EU door must be completely closed to Turkey" in her draft report on Turkey, and that the draft is purposely leaked to the press. European Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn also stated that Turkey's EU membership negotiations should be terminated definitively; EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas, on the other hand, indicated that the official position is toward sustaining accession negotiations with Turkey. Indeed, France and Germany's efforts are toward strengthening and enriching relations with Turkey once again.
The most bizarre part is that even though Turkey insists that "the rules of law, justice, law, human rights principles" are opened as soon as possible, as these topics cannot be unfolded due to the fact Greece vetoed them, it is being proposed that the negotiations with Turkey are suspended. On the EU front, some are going through an abdication of reason. The EU will find the 2019-2020 year highly troublesome, with sustainable growth, repositioning in monetary policy, aging population, high unemployment in the young population, energy supply security, the painful Brexit process, the refugee problem, and the new "European Army" issues. The fact that they are trying to sustain a balanced relationship with Russia and how they reacted to U.S.' Iran embargo are also linked to some of these issues. U.S. President Trump's reaction to French President Macron is, of course, not limited to the "European Army." On top of that, add the tension of the trade war between the EU and the U.S.
The increase in the number of seats held by radical parties and political movements in the European Parliament elections of 2019 will turn the EP into a hand grenade, whose "pin" is pulled, for the EU project. For the two leading countries of the EU Turkey means: Europe's connection to Eurasia, energy supply security and indispensable for global competition.
Katie Pirie's on-purpose-leaked proposal is a golden opportunity for the U.S. with regards to a serious "coldness" that will come between Turkey and the EU. Someone should remind Katie Pirie that the cards are redistributed for the "disintegrated" Atlantic Alliance.