Norwegian visit to Turkey

No matter what you say or think, it is good to see such moves amid the economic crisis.

Visits from Dutch and Norwegian delegations will be almost on the same days.

The Netherlands Foreign Trade Minister Frank Heemskerk will lead a crowded group during a visit to Turkey from Nov. 24 to 28.

Norway Crown Prince Haakon and his delegation will be in Ankara and Istanbul between Nov. 25 and 27. New investments and the cooperation of Holland and Norway will likely make new investments in Turkey and seek cooperation. For instance, in Prince Haakon’s team, State Minister for Oil and Energy Liv Monica Stubholt signals energy investments.

Ahead of the Norwegian visit to Turkey, I had the chance to have contact with a group of journalists from this country and to exchange views with Norwegian authorities during the week. I met Rune Rafaelsen, the Barents Cooperation’s secretary general, to discuss future horizons of the region in Kirkenes, the sister city of Kars that inspired its Mayor Naif Alibeyoğlu on the "Caucasus Cooperation."

Future scenarios
What kind of a future do the oil fields in the Sea of Barents and the Arctic Ocean prepare for the region? According to 2004 data, Russian oil exports amount to 19,700 tons and the amount will be increased to 150,000 tons in the next two decades. How will this fortify Russia’s power?

Rich oil and natural gas fields in the Yamal Peninsula are enough for Russia to have more trump cards in energy in the upcoming years.

Melting of ice in the Arctic Ocean due to global warming will open new channels. How will opening new channels for maritime traffic affect maritime trade and energy?

Established by the former Norwegian Defense Minister Thorvard Stoltenberg in 1993, the Barents Cooperation has been pondering these questions for years, preparing various scenarios. But in the mean time, Norway is building up an excellent dialogue and collaboration with Russia, beginning from the border region.

Norway, as the secret architects of innumerable numbers of agreements including the Oslo Peace Accord, is quite successful in "dialogue diplomacy." Rafaelsen said something quite intriguing in Kirkenes. There is no word like "war" in the native Sami language of Norway. If Alibeyoğlu’s biggest dream, the "Caucasus Cooperation" project, is put into force through the Barents Cooperation model, peace birds will fly from Norway to our region.

I also met Ms. Stubholt, who is in the Norwegian group soon to pay a visit to Turkey, in the Norwegian capital Oslo. She says Norway is the sixth biggest hydropower in the world and in the lead in Europe. The country makes hydropower investments in a vast area from South America to Central Europe. A Norwegian-Turkish hydropower forum will be held in Ankara next Wednesday and that increases the possibility that Norway will invest in Turkey. As for oil, Minister Stubholt says her country supports the European Union’s policy on energy security. Norway turned down membership to the Union twice in referenda but, as the minister points out, Norwegians see themselves as part of Europe. But on the other hand, we also know that Russia is not pleased with the European efforts to diversify energy sources. And I think the world will need the "dialogue diplomacy" of Norway more in the coming years.