Geopolitical Importance of the Ahiska/Meskhetia for Turkey Cover Image

Ahıska’nın Türkiye İçin Jeopolitik Önemi
Geopolitical Importance of the Ahiska/Meskhetia for Turkey

Author(s): Selim Kurt
Subject(s): National Economy, Energy and Environmental Studies, International relations/trade, Economic development, Geopolitics
Published by: Karadeniz Araştırmaları Merkezi
Keywords: Ahiska Turks; Georgia; Caucasus; Deportation; Cavaheti Conflict;

Summary/Abstract: The emergence of Turkish republics following to collapse of USSR has caused to returning of Turkey’s attention to Central Asia and Caucasus regions. The relations started by the relationship by affinity and developed by discovery of rich energy resources of the region’s states. Soon after that the subject of transportation of these resources to the international markets was added to agenda. In this context geopolitical importance of the Ahiska land, which settled in Turkish-Georgia border and lies from Ajaria Autonomous Region to Armenia through the borderline, is remarkable. Aspecially considering of there is no political relations between Turkey and Armenia, Ahiska land has highly strategic position for Turkey in the point of accessing Middle Asia through Caucasus. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Petroleum Pipeline, Ba-ku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Natural Gas Pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway are passing through Ahiska land and the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia project is planing to passing through the land, as well. But the presence of the Ahiska Turks in this region was terminated because of the immigration and assimilation policies, applied in historical process. The migrating Ahiska Turks are struggling for life now majorly in Caucasian and Middle Asian countries in addition to Russia Federation, Turkey and United States of America. But there is a hope now for returning back to their home lands in the context of some developments occurred in recent years. And this hope should be support by Turkey, who was tried to be convicted narrow corridors accessing to Caucasus and Middle Asia regions.

  • Issue Year: 2018
  • Issue No: 58
  • Page Range: 198-215
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Turkish