MEMRI: Recent Attempts to Form Strategic Regional Bloc: Syria, Turkey and
Iran
By: O. Winter*
Syria/Turkey/Iran |#490 | January 6, 2009
www.memri.org:80/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA49009

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Arab Diplomatic Sources: Syria Trying to Form a Trilateral Strategic Bloc in
the Middle East
Assad: "There Is Real Cooperation Among These Three Countries"
Syrian Government Daily Teshreen : Trilateral Coordination Will Shape the
Future of the Region
Syrian Government Daily Al-Ba'th : The Three Countries' Positions Are
Similar, If Not Identical
Syrian Weekly: Turkey Has Realized Where Its Interests Lie
Iranian Columnist: The Trilateral Front - A Major Regional Force that Will
Restrain America's Rampage in the Region

Introduction
In August and September 2008, a series of meetings and mutual visits took
place among the Syrian, Iranian, and Turkish heads of state. Syrian
President Bashar Al-Assad visited Turkey and Iran in the first week of
August, and a few days later, on August 14, Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad visited Turkey. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan then
visited Damascus in early September.

In reference to these visits, it was reported in the Arab press that Syria
was attempting to form a strategic bloc with Iran and Turkey, and to
establish a trilateral consultation and coordination mechanism with them.
The Syrian press stated that the three countries held similar positions on
many regional issues, including the Iranian nuclear dossier, the
geographical unity of Iraq, and the intra-Palestinian conflict, and that
they would be able to shape the future of the region according to their
interests.

Following are excerpts from statements and articles on this topic.

Arab Diplomatic Sources: Syria Trying to Form a Trilateral Strategic Bloc in
the Middle East
The Qatari daily Al-Watan reported, citing Arab diplomatic sources, that
Syria hoped to form a trilateral strategic bloc in the Middle East
comprising Syria, Iran, and Turkey, and that this had been the object of
Assad's August 2008 visit to Teheran and Ankara.(1) According to the
sources, Damascus believes that strengthening ties and coordination among
these three countries at this time would promote the achievement of
equilibrium in the Middle East. The sources denied, however, that the bloc
would be a political axis or an alliance, saying that it would only be a
coordination and consultation mechanism for addressing various issues on the
regional and international agenda. They added that Syria would be holding a
trilateral summit in Damascus in order to determine the exact format of this
coordination, and to confront the serious dangers and challenges facing the
Middle East.(2)

Assad: "There Is Real Cooperation Among These Three Countries"
In a September 17, 2008 interview on Iranian TV, Syrian President Bashar
Al-Assad discussed the relations among Syria, Iran and Turkey: "At present,
there is real cooperation among these three countries; however, this
cooperation must be extended to include other countries as well, especially
Iraq, because we are neighbors. The main factor prompting [this cooperation]
was the lessons we derived from the past. Furthermore, the mistakes made by
the enemies have shown that lack of cooperation works against us.

"Currently, the [Syrian-Iranian-Turkish] cooperation is mainly on the
political level, but we hope to extend it [to other spheres as well]. I
discussed this [issue] with the Iranian leadership during my visit to Iran,
and [with the Turkish leadership] during my visit to Turkey and during the
Turkish prime minister's visit to Syria."(3)
On August 6, 2008, the day after Assad's return from Turkey, his political
and media adviser Dr. Buthayna Sha'ban explained that the reciprocal visits
were part of consultations on regional issues currently underway among the
three countries, mainly on the issues of Iraq, Iran's nuclear dossier, and
the situation in Palestine. Sha'ban said that the three countries agreed
that Iran had the right to pursue its nuclear program for peaceful purposes,
in accordance with international charters. She added that consultation among
them had always served the security, peace, and stability of the region and
had counteracted war and aggression.(4) She said that the three countries
were concerned and apprehensive about the situation in Iraq, and that they
saw "Iraq's unity, independence, and sovereignty over its resources and land
as [a principle of great] importance."(5)

Syrian Government Daily Teshreen : Trilateral Coordination Will Shape the
Future of the Region

In an editorial in the Syrian government daily Teshreen , editor-in-chief
'Issam Dari wrote that Turkey, Iran, and Syria would determine the future of
the Middle East: "As prominent countries, Turkey, Syria and Iran can not
only play an influential role in the region, but also shape [its] future in
accordance with the will of their own peoples and that of the peoples of the
entire region. This, in order to stop the brazen interference by outside
[forces] - interference that must be rejected outright as incompatible with
the supreme interests of the Arabs and those of their neighbors and friends.

"The Syrian president's visit to Turkey, and his previous visit to Iran,
were part of the joint and persistent effort by the three friendly countries
for high-level coordination, aimed at achieving the aspirations of the
peoples in the Middle East. Apparently, this coordination alarms those with
plans that are hostile to [these] peoples, and as a result [this
coordination] has come under unceasing attacks - which are unlikely to stop
anytime soon - aimed at distorting and misrepresenting it, and at sabotaging
Syria's relations with Iran and Turkey. However, these depraved attempts [to
stop the coordination] will not succeed, since the three countries are aware
[of them] and are determined to safeguard their supreme national interests,
and to safeguard the welfare and the future of the region.

"Accordingly, this [tripartite] coordination will determine the nature of
the next phase - which will be shaped by parties that are from the region
and are interested [in its affairs], and which throughout history have
proven their ability to defend themselves and their culture."(6)

Syrian Government Daily Al-Ba'th : The Three Countries' Positions Are
Similar, If Not Identical
An editorial in the Syrian government daily Al-Ba'th contended that Syria,
Iran, and Turkey held similar positions on most regional issues: "Syria,
Iran, and Turkey are countries of prominence and presence - politically,
economically, and in terms of human [resources] - and they have important
converging interests. This means that any crisis afflicting a neighboring
country invariably affects them, directly or indirectly, as it affects other
countries in the world, albeit to a lesser degree.

"This conclusion is not new; what is significant, however, is Syria's
initiative to broaden its contacts and engage its neighboring countries in a
discussion on all issues of regional importance in the spheres of politics,
economy, and security. This, in accordance with the common interests and
aims of the countries and people of the region, who, in the recent years,
have been suffering the consequences of the U.S. occupation of Iraq - and
are still suffering from it.

"Even more important are [Syria's, Iran's and Turkey's] similar, if not
identical, positions on burning issues [such as] the occupied territories in
Iraq and Lebanon, Iran's nuclear dossier, support for national conciliation
in Palestine, the lifting of the Gaza siege, Iraq's unity and stability and
the withdrawal of the occupying forces, support for the Lebanese national
dialogue, and support for Iran's right to enrich uranium for peaceful
purposes. These were the main issues in President Assad's talks with the
Iranian and Turkish leaders.(7)

As'ad 'Aboud, editor of the Syrian government daily Al-Thawra , underlined
Syria's, Iran's, and Turkey's opposition to the U.S. presence in Iraq: "Who
is paying the price of the current situation in Iraq?! Isn't it the Iraqi
people, and after them the other countries in the region?! The decision to
invade Iraq - wasn't it imposed on the countries of region in [complete]
contradiction to their wishes and their efforts to ensure their own
stability?! Did Iran support the war against Iraq - despite its [enmity]
with [former] Iraqi president Saddam Hussein?! Did Turkey support the war
against Iraq?! Didn't the Syrian president clearly declare that Iraq is a
quagmire that is difficult to exit, [thus] openly opposing the war?!"(8)

Syrian Weekly: Turkey Has Realized Where Its Interests Lie
An editorial in the Syrian weekly Abyadh Wa-Aswad stated that Turkey had
despaired of joining the Western world and had realized that its real
interest lay in renewing its contacts with the Middle East countries: "In
light of the economic interests and common denominators shared by Syria,
Turkey, and Iran - including geographic [proximity] [and similarities in]
religion, beliefs and positions - it has become more important than ever to
conduct a political process that reflects this reality and protects these
interests. [This move] has prepared the ground for redrawing the map of
cooperation among [certain] countries in the region, [namely Syria, Turkey,
and Iran], especially since their main common denominator is their
categorical rejection of all Western dictates, and their rigorous adherence
to the national and regional interests of every country.

"After soberly scrutinizing the [history of] the previous century, the
[Turkish] government realized that dancing to Europe's tune is a waste of
time. unless it is willing to completely surrender to the West's will -
which it refuses to do. It has realized that the right way is to rejoin the
Arabs, since its real interests lie in the [Middle East,] with which it
shares a common history and family ties [as well as common] religion,
ideology and interests.

"[Turkey] has rejoined the Arab [world] through the Syrian gate, with the
aim of preserving its regional status. Perhaps it was the threats to which
the West has exposed it - especially after the U.S. invasion of Iraq and its
support for the establishment of a Kurdish state which could threaten Turkey
from the rear - that caused the young Turkish leadership (Erdogan and Gul)
to advance in the correct and logical direction, [i.e.] towards the region
to which they belong. [This move] has created a united regional strategic
force to safeguard the interests of the people [in the region], which the
West wants to harm.

"The factors uniting the three countries far outweigh their links with the
West and the U.S. The rapprochement among Turkey, Syria, and Iran should be
a model for other countries, which should [likewise] unite based on mutual
interests and respect."(9)
Main Headline of Syrian Weekly: "Syria-Iran-Turkey - A New Map of Regional
Cooperation"

Abyadh Wa-Aswad (Syria), August 10, 2008.

Iranian Columnist: The Trilateral Front - A Major Regional Force that Will
Restrain America's Rampage in the Region

Iranian columnist Dr. Mohammad Sadeq Al-Hosseini, who is secretary-general
of the Arab-Iranian Dialogue Forum, wrote in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Jarida:
"The prevailing view in knowledgeable circles is that a consensus - if not
an alliance - is forming among Teheran, Ankara, and Damascus. [This
alliance] will transform these three countries into a major regional force
that will act to restrain America's rampage in the region. Similar
cooperation emerged during the era of the late [Syrian] president Hafez
Al-Assad in the wake of the Kurdish rebellion, which spawned dangerous
developments that threatened the security of the three countries. [The
Kurdish issue] may be an important factor in reviving this trilateral
[alliance today].
"The war in the Caucasus, and its ramifications for U.S.-Russia relations,
will offer the influential countries of the region a great opportunity to
put their own stamp on what Washington envisaged as 'the New Middle East.'
This [stamp] will be based on [these countries' own] positions and
standards, rather than on those of the U.S., [which] has lost the war in the
Caucasus.
"Accordingly, it can be said with confidence that a main outcome of this war
is [the emergence of] a regional front that is free from U.S. dictates."
(10)
*O. Winter is a research fellow at MEMRI.

Notes
(1) According to the London daily Al-Hayat, Assad was visiting Turkey, which
is mediating in the indirect Syria-Israel talks to apprise it of issues that
had arisen during his meetings in Iran - namely, of Iran's concerns and
apprehensions regarding the Syria-Israel negotiations and its request for
detailed information about their progress. Al-Hayat (London), August 10,
2008.
(2) Al-Watan (Qatar), August 8, 2008.
(3) Al-Thawra (Syria), September 18, 2008.
(4) Al-Thawra (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(5) Al-Watan (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(6) Teshreen (Syria), August 6, 2008.
(7) Al-Ba'th (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(8) Al-Thawra (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(9) Abyadh Wa-Aswad (Syria), August 10, 2008.
(10) Al-Jarida (Kuwait), August 18, 2008.

DONATION INFORMATION
MEMRI is Bridging the Language Gap Between the West and the Middle East and
we need your support to continue funding new and innovative projects.
MEMRI IS A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, YOUR DONATION IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE

8 EASY WAYS TO DONATE - Donating online is FAST, EASY, & SECURE!
Just complete the form here and select either Authorize.net or PayPal to
complete your donation transaction

For assistance, please contact MEMRI at memri@memri.org.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent,
non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle
East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background
information, are available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with
proper attribution.

MEMRI
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
www.memri.org