Abstract
The Geopolitic Importance of Ahıska for Turkey
Abstract
The emergence of Turkic republics following to collapse of USSR has caused to returning of Turkey’s attention to Central Asia and Caucasus regions. The relations started by the relationship by affinity and developed by discovery of rich energy resources of the region’s states. Soon after that the subject of transportation of these resources to the international markets was added to agenda. In this context geo-political importance of the Meskhetian land, which settled in Turkish-Georgia border and lies from Ajaria Autonomous Region to Armenia through the borderline, is remarkable. Aspecially considering of there is no political relations between Turkey and Armenia, Meskhetian land has highly strategic position for Turkey in the point of accessing Middle Asia through Caucasus. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines are passing through Meskhetian land and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and TRACECA transportation coridor projects are planing to passing through the land, as well. But the presence of the Meskhetian Turks in this region decreased considerably because of the immigration and assimilation policies in historical process. The migrating Meskhetians are struggling for life now majorly in Caucasian and Middle Asian countries in addition to Russia Federation, Turkey and United States of America. But there is a hope now for returning back to their home lands in the context of some developments occured in recent years. And this hope should be support by Turkey, who was tried to be convicted narrow corridors accessing to Caucasus and Middle Asia regions.
Keywords
Meskhetian Turks, Georgia, Caucasus, Deportation, Cavaheti Conflict