The Prime Minister In Iraq

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's visit to Iraq and to Iraqi Kurdistan is of critical importance for the entire region.
One must underscore that just before the visit, Turkish and American officials held substantial talks. They probably agree that the first problem is to overcome the deteriorating relations between Baghdad and Arbil. To tell the truth, the advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) constitutes the major motivation for all parties to initiate a rapprochement. Baghdad and Arbil have no other choice to unite their forces to stop ISIL.
Without this cooperation, the Iraqi Kurds, who are terribly threatened by ISIL's rapid progress, would probably seek the US's and other countries' help, and this could even lead to their independence from Iraq. It is known that both Turkey and Iran dislike the idea of having an independent Kurdistan as a neighbor, so these two powers have no other option than to support the Baghdad-Arbil rapprochement. In other words, the ISIL threat has offered common ground for the US, Turkey and Iran to work together. These circumstances have helped Turkey and Iraq to talk about energy cooperation as well. Cooperation in the security domain is part and parcel of the energy issues, and it seems the deals on both subjects are on a good track.
Syria hasn't got noticeable natural resources, but the instability in this country has negative consequences for the entire region's energy markets. Iraq is particularly exposed to the instability in Syria. During his visit, the Turkish prime minister is naturally expected to mention the crisis in Syria. The links between Iraqi and Syrian Kurds is also an expected discussion topic. Turkey is asking for clarification on the Syrian Kurds' attitude toward Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, and it wants to make sure the Kurds are cooperating with different components of the Syrian opposition. Arbil may play an important role in including Syrian Kurds to the wider anti-Assad coalition, but we are not sure what Baghdad thinks about the matter.
If Turkey succeeds in persuading the Kurds, Assad will be pushed into a very difficult position. Of course, one has to deal urgently with the ISIL problem too, because no great power will focus on getting rid of Assad while ISIL keeps killing and pillaging a large area. Moreover, nobody knows yet who will replace Assad once he's gone.
Given that ISIL is an urgent problem to be dealt with, if the prime minister's Iraq visit ends with success, Turkey will have to make a number of important decisions. First of all, we'll have to think about normalizing our relations with Egypt, especially at a time when Israel, by stepping up its violence, seems to be deliberately pushing all Muslims in the region to act together. Moreover, it is not a coincidence that the press is full of reports about oil and gas deals in the Cypriot economic zone. These deals are a way of asking Turkey to react and they are a reminder that from now on Ankara has to negotiate with Egypt as well about the Cyprus problem.
To tell the truth, Turkey hasn't got much reason to not normalize its relations with Egypt. One can always criticize the fact that a general now rules the country, but refusing to talk to him has one simple result: Turkey is being constantly pushed out of the game. Besides, those Egyptians who have been supported by Turkey are still in Egypt and they still play a political role. The only way to make sure that those Egyptians don't commit an ISIL-like mistake is to keep the dialogue channels open.
By the way, the presidential elections are getting close in the United States; and if the Republicans win, we'll end up with an American administration unwilling to waste time seeking negotiation and compromises.

BERİL DEDEOĞLU (Cihan/Today's Zaman)