Persian Gulf states working hard to cause clash between Turkey and Egypt over Libya: Turkish analyst

The assassination of Jamal Khashoggi on October 2, 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to political conflict between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Ankara blamed Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman over the killing and stagnation in Saudi-Turkish relations.

Interestingly, the pro-government Turkish media recently shifted their focus from the Saudi crown prince to Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Mohammed bin Zayed, and described him as the actual evil man who is stirring up hostility against Turkey.

Nevertheless, the latest conflicts between Turkey and the UAE-Saudi bloc is over Libya. 

While the Egyptian parliament on July 20 gave a green light for possible military intervention in Libya, Erdogan's top security adviser, Ibrahim Kalin, warned any Egyptian deployment in Libya would hamper efforts to end the fighting and would be risky for Cairo. 

"I believe it will be a dangerous military adventure for Egypt," Aljazeera quoted Kalin as saying.

Yassin Aktay, the Turkish president's advisor, accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of inciting the Egyptian president to "invade and occupy Libya on their behalf".

In this regard, Onur Sinan Güzaltan, a Turkish lawyer tells the Tehran Times that "some Persian Gulf (Arab) countries, and the United Arab Emirates, in particular, are doing their best to cause a clash between Turkey and Egypt over Libya, with the mentorship they got from the United States and Israel."

He believes that the United States and Israel have launched a propaganda campaign to promote this illusion among Arab countries, especially Egypt, that their "arch-enemies are Turkey and Iran, not Israel". They have been seeking such a project through the media power of the Persian Gulf Arab countries.

"For this purpose, many Arab intellectuals are being hosted in Israel," he adds.

On reports the UAE is taking steps toward recognizing Israel by using the so-called COVID diplomacy through some airlifts and is preparing the public opinion in the Arab world for such a move, Güzaltan says, "In the near future, the Persian Gulf countries may officially recognize Israel, which they already have secret negotiations and agreements with."

"What they are afraid of is the reaction of the Arab nations when this moment comes," he notes. "The thing that lies beneath the Persian Gulf's desire to provoke Turkey and Egypt over Libya is actually an effort to create and guide the perception that Turkey is the arch-enemy."

He argues that the U.S.-Israel bloc along with the Persian Gulf countries is seeking to isolate Ankara by provoking Egypt against Turkey.

"Turkey's actions that contradict the American interests in the region and its close ties with Iran and Russia have caused a deep disturbance in the United States," the Turkish analyst says.
Turkey supports the Government of National Accord in the Eastern Mediterranean, which made it confront the Saudi-led coalition.

The U.S.-Persian Gulf coalition and some European countries, France in particular, are unsettled by Turkey's approach.

"They is trying to implement the concept of ‘creative chaos’ suggested by Condoleezza Rice, the preferred environment for the United States and Israel, by clashing Turkey and Egypt, two well-established countries in the region," Güzaltan stresses. "Turkey, however, is a country with enough state traditions, to not fall for these kinds of traps."

The Turkish writer calls for direct dialogue between Turkey and Egypt "to overcome this trap, which was put by the imperialism."

Turkey, Iran, and Egypt are the countries with great civilizations in the region. Unfortunately, the relations between Iran and Egypt deteriorated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Turkish-Egyptian relations also suffered damages in 2013 after the overthrow of Mohammad Morsi and Abdelfattah El-Sisi's rise to power.

"The winners in the disputes between these three countries will be the United States and Israel," Güzaltan says. "Therefore, the struggle against imperialism today is through advocating the Ankara-Tehran-Cairo dialogues."

"If this dialogue ever starts, problems can be easily resolved not only in Libya but also in Syria and Iraq and Palestine," he argues.

Referring to the UAE and Saudi allegations that Turkey interferes in Arab affairs, the Turkish lawyer says, "Ankara is present in Libya with the invitation of the Government of National Accord, which is the legitimate government of Libya, recognized by the United Nations."

He stresses that the maritime boundary treaty signed between Turkey and the GNA is also made in accordance with international law.

"Turkey has no imperialist or invasive motivations in Libya. In the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish Armed Forces have taken action to protect our rights that are under the threat of Greece, Greek Cyprus, France, and Israel," claims Güzaltan.

"Turkey is not fighting to interfere in other countries' internal affairs but to protect its rights that are guaranteed by international law," he maintains.

Founded on October 29, 1923, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Republic of Turkey declared it has no intention to resurrect the Ottoman Empire, while Turkey under the Erdogan presidency is facing an accusation of following in the footsteps of the Ottoman Empire,

"Turkey's presence in Libya and its agreements have the intention to protect its legitimate interests in the Eastern Mediterranean in accordance with international law," Güzaltan says. "Turkey is following a strategy that clashes with the threats to its national security outside its borders but holds no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries."

From Güzaltan's point of view, Turkey's plan in the region should be aimed at creating an Ankara-Cairo-Tehran bloc against the U.S.-Israel axis.

"Such a front would definitely prevent the intervention of any third power in the region," he points out.

He thinks that if we apply a similar Astana template with Egypt in Libya, the imperialist plans will be crushed in the region.

"It would be logical to cooperate with Russia as well when fighting against imperialism. Our main goal should be to establish the largest front," he emphasizes.

Referring to the murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by order of Saudi authorities, Güzaltan tells the Tehran Times, "It is now a fact that has resonated through the international public opinion."

The Turkish intelligence service got the audio recordings of the assassination and shared it with international partners.

"The United Nations report on this murder has stated that the murder could not be carried out without the notice of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman," Güzaltan states.

Saudi Arabia arrested 11 officials who were allegedly involved in the murder, but Saud Al-Qahtani, who is claimed to be responsible for the incident, has yet to be prosecuted.

In this regard, the United States issued statements in support of the Saudi Kingdom.

"It is clear that the Saudis wanted to cover up this murder," the Turkish writer adds.
 
Turkish courts began the prosecution of the 20 suspects on July 3, 2020, in absentia.

Saud Al-Qahtani and Ahmed Bin Mohammed al-Asiri are among the prosecuted names, at the 11th Criminal Court of Istanbul. The vast majority of these individuals held diplomatic immunity at the time of the murder, which has paved the way for them to flee Turkey.

"Turkish courts will independently continue to follow up this brutal murder, but the obstacles within international law are likely to arise in the conducting of a possible conviction," Güzaltan notes.
 
Answering the Tehran Times that why Bin Salman's name was not mentioned on the accused list, the Turkish lawyer says, "The limitations from the diplomatic immunity is in effect by international law.
"This situation also occurs through bilateral agreements between the two countries."  

"There is a difference between politically and legally convicting bin Salman."

"Turkish courts are fully independent, and I do not think there will be no such political pressure," Güzaltan believes. "But judging the second man of the Saudi Kingdom in a local court is just symbolism, and there is no way of enforcing the sentence."

Güzaltan calls for a special tribunal to try Bin Selman and hold the Saudi regime accountable for its conduct.

"The way to this tribunal is through an all-out political and economic embargo that can be implemented against the Saudi regime, which is cooperating with the United States and Israel until it gives up on the cooperation with these countries."

The lawyer goes on to say that the United Nations report on Khashoggi's assassination has stated that “the murder could not be carried out without the notice of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.”.
He adds, “Some Persian Gulf countries, and the United Arab Emirates, in particular, are doing their best to cause a clash between Turkey and Egypt over Libya.