One of the most important preconditions set by Saudis is closure of Turkey’s military base on Qatar soil, a demand which was strongly rejected by Ankara. In order to shed more light on the issue, Payman Yazdani of Mehr News International Service asked the following questions in an interview with Mr. Osman Faruk Loguglu, member of People’s Democratic Party (CHP) in Turkey.
Arab states led by Saudi Arabia has asked Qatar to close Turkish military base. Will Qatar surrender to their request?
Qatar, according to news media, has flatly rejected the entire list of demands by Saudi Arabia and its friends. And the Turkish Minister of National Defence has declared that the closure of the Turkish military base in Qatar is “not on the agenda”. President Erdoğan then amplified Turkey’s position by saying that the request was an infringement of Qatar’s sovereignty, that Turkey did not have to ask the permission of anyone to conclude such an agreement and that the request was disrespectful.
What is the importance of Turkey's base in Qatar for Ankara? What can be the Turkey's reaction to possible closure of this base by Qatar?
What distinguishes the agreement with Qatar from the scores of other military cooperation agreement Turkey has concluded with other countries in different parts of the world is that it envisions the stationing of Turkish troops in Qatar. Turkish officials have stated that the Turkish base is “not threatening anyone and that it is for the security of the region”. Like all agreements, there are provisions relating to its termination. Thus if at the end of the day Qatar decides to end the agreement, there is not much Turkey can do about it.
Why Saudi Arabia and its allies set this precondition for Qatar?
The motive behind this demand by Saudi Arabia and its allies is hard to fathom. I think it is probably an after-thought addition to the list of demands to bring Qatar down on its knees. It may also be the product of a historical allergy against the Turks going back to the Ottoman domination of the region.
If the tensions between Saudi and Qatar heat up, what will be its effect on NATO and PGCC cooperation?
The Qatar crisis means the effective dissolution – at least until such time as the crisis is resolved amicably – of the PGCC. NATO will make the necessary adjustments in its cooperation arrangements with the Gulf countries as the crisis unfolds."
Interview by:Payman Yazdani
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