On December 1 Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Jordanian King Abdullah II agreed to abolish visa requirements between the two countries and create a free trade zone. A Jordanian statement said: “The free trade agreement, which was signed today, is key to enhancing bilateral economic cooperation and boosting trade as well as investments between Jordan and Turkey. . . . The two sides discussed efforts to strengthen cooperation in the fields of transport and energy."
During his visit to Jordan Gul also opened an office in Qastal for a Turkish scheme to extract water from a Jordan's Disi aquifer. "Regional cooperation is a must to tackle water issues," said Gul.
President Gul took the opportunity to side with the Arabs against Israel, saying that the "Palestinian issue is not only a matter of Palestinians but of all Muslims. . . . The frictions in Jerusalem are not only a case of the Arabs. It is the case of all Muslims.” He also suggested that it's a mistake to let outsiders take the lead: "We must solve our regional problems without resorting to major powers outside the Middle East such as the USA and Britain. We must be aware of the fact that we are the owners of the region."
Through its economic agreement with Jordan Turkey is extending its influence and showing once more that it regards itself as a major regional power. Jordan, a relatively poor country, stands to benefit economically from lifting trade restrictions, more than Turkey will. According to the Jordan Times, "During the first half of this year, Jordan’s imports from Turkey totaled around $143.6 million whereas its exports, mainly phosphates and fertilisers, were valued at around $9.8 million. Moreover, Turkish investments in Jordan currently stand at around $90 million."
The visit has diplomatic as well as economic meaning. Turkey, under the current mildly Islamist government, has clearly turned from its Western orientation to embrace a Muslim/Arab outlook. Turkey has been improving its relations with Syria, which in turn is Iran's most important Arab ally. A Turkish-Syrian-Iranian axis in the Middle East would be a worrying development. On the other hand, strengthening ties with Jordan, Israel's most trustworthy Arab neighbor, could possibly have a moderating influence.
Comments
... and bringing the whole Middle East together in a free trade organization would bring much more stability.
In ten years the Middle East will be something much different than nowadays. With the lead of Türkiye, I as an Arab, believe we could handle everything. Türkiye is a big asset, that the EU give away much too easy. A foolish turnover in the last 15 seconds of the game, if you watch NBA...
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