Zülfikar Doğan writes: How can we forget Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of a NATO member, reacting to NATO plans to intervene in Libya with, “What does NATO have to do in Libya?” But Erdogan quickly reversed himself and became a supporter of the NATO operation and embraced the opposition of Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi.
Hundreds of wounded rebels were evacuated to Turkey for treatment. Leaders of the Libyan transitional administration led by Mustafa Abduljalil were received with open arms in Ankara.
Libya-Turkey relations have had ups and downs since 1972. After the United States clamped an arms embargo on Turkey in the 1974 Cyprus Operation, support for Turkish armed forces, from spare airplane parts to fuel, had come from Libya.
Turkish contractors acquired experience in Libya and grew, expanding their horizons. Turkey became the No. 2 contracting country in the world after China in 2014. Projects worth $28 billion that Turkish companies executed in Libya contributed significantly to Turkey’s economy, in particular to its contracting sector.
But diplomatic, political and strategic mistakes by Erdogan and his Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu during the toppling of Gadhafi and its aftermath created serious problems for Turkey and its hundreds of contracting companies, while risking access to the sub-Sahara market for which Turkey had serious hopes.
Just as Turkey-Egypt relations sank over support by the Turkish government to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the same scenario is playing out in Libya.
In the beginning, Turkey did not recognize the Tobruk parliament and administration, which was recognized by the UN Security Council, the United States and EU countries, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
When the Tobruk government declared that Turkish citizens in Libya should leave Libya because of Ankara’s policy, it appeared to be a rupture of diplomatic ties, and Turkey had to close down its embassy in Libya in July.
The assessments of experienced Turkish businessmen and contractors conclude that Turkey’s decision to support the Misrata Group (Muslim Brotherhood) and the Tripoli parliament — unlike key Arab and Western countries and the UN, which recognized the Tobruk parliament — caused severe resentment against Turkey and Turks.
Turkey is losing Libya. It is Egypt that counts in Libya now, with no more mention of Turkey. The machinery, work sites and assets of hundreds of Turkish firms were set afire and looted. They are owed $5 billion, but as there is no political authority or working administration, we are not paid. We had to repatriate thousands of our workers.
The Ankara government is finally seeming to notice that it has been betting on the wrong horse. Former Deputy Prime Minister Emrullah Isler was sent to Libya as special envoy of Erdogan and Davutoglu. He met with both governments and offered to mediate.Turkey has not only lost Libya politically, but also billions of dollars.
