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Turkey Frustrated by Inaction Over Syria; Turkey's Waiting Game on ISIS; Fujairah Rising; Port of Fujairah; Eye on Energy; Gas Strategy
Aired October 09, 2014 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Turkish tanks do little more than watch the slow fall of a Kurdish town across their southern border with Syria.
This hour, we examine why Ankara is staying out of the fight against ISIS for the time being at least.
Also ahead, the worsening condition of the nursing assistant in Spain who is being treated for the Ebola virus. A live report from Madrid for
you.
And we'll also bring you a unique view of life inside an Ebola treatment center in West Africa.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: All right, 7:00 p.m. in the UAE.
Turkey and its military have a ringside seat to what ISIS is doing just across their border in Kobani in Syria. Its troops could potentially
save the city, but haven't been ordered into the fight. And that has left some of Ankara's allies angry and incredulous. That's why the head of NATO
has arrived in Turkey with the goal of getting its leaders to rethink their position.
Well, the key challenge for NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is aligning tactics with a country that demanded action in Syria long before ISIS even
had a foothold, a demand that was dismissed.
Well, Phil Black is standing by live from the Turkish-Syrian border near Kobani where Turkey -- or sorry, Kurdish fighters say ISIS now
controls one-third of the city.
And it seems despite continued U.S.-led airstrikes, the advance of the Islamic State fighters fill into Kobani continues. Just how is that
possible?
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, today, Becky, again we have seen a U.S. B-1 bomber overhead, we've seen multiple
explosions around the outskirts of the city and if you take a look over my shoulder towards the southwest, you can still see a lot of smoke on the
horizon there over Kobani. That's where we've seen a number of these large impacts today.
But the air strikes have been fewer in number. And the Kurdish fighters inside the city say they've had a much tougher day of fighting,
partly because the air power support hasn't been equal to what it has been in recent days, but on top of that they say that ISIS has received
reinforcements from Raqqa, its de facto capital, deeper into Syria. That means that those Kurdish fighters who are already out-numbered and
outgunned face an even tougher fight.
They took territory overnight. They've had to let some of that go again today, simply because they don't have the numbers, the firepower, to
hold onto it, Becky.
ANDERSON: I know that the Turkish foreign minister has been speaking. What has he said?
BLACK: Well, once again, reiterating that Turkish government position that it is for very much a ground operation to carve out of Syria what it
calls a safety zone. The Turkish government believes that 's the only way to go, the only to make effective progress. But the government has some
very strict conditions.
Take a listen to the foreign minister speaking earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): We cannot expect Turkey to do a land operation. This is not a realistic
approach. We now have different groups in the area and we can never guess where the terrorist groups will target and will continue to fight.
We underlined repeatedly that we do support the bombardment of our allies, but this is a problem, which you cannot resolve just by air
bombardments and you cannot change the balance of power in the region with these air bombardments. Maybe you can stop them for a short period, but
you cannot clean the whole region of ISIS or some other terrorist organizations. You need to take into consideration all options, including
an operation on the ground.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: So, Turkey wants a ground operation, but is refusing to go it alone. There's not exactly a long list of countries signing up to move on
with an operation like that, so it remains a non-starter for the moment.
The Kurdish fighters in Kobani, they don't want Turkish soldiers to roll across the border, what they want, they say, is for Turkey to throw
open the gates.
Just behind me, Becky -- sorry, just to interrupt, you're going to see another airstrike we're pretty sure, a new big cloud of smoke there in the
distance -- but just to finalize what I was saying there, that Kurds don't want Turkish troops, they want reinforcements. They want ammunition,
supplies, more Kurdish fighters. They believe if that happens along with the airstrikes like the one you are just seeing, then the chance of them
holding on is much better -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, we're going to do more on the Kurdish demands, Phil, a little later in this show.
Thank you for the time being. And more on the overall battle against ISIS and a key regional player.
Washington wants its NATO ally Turkey to do more. Turkey, though, has been slow to respond as we've been saying. And is making demands of its
own.
A live report from Washington for you coming up this hour. And we're going to take a look at Turkey's balancing act. What is President
Erdogan's end-game here? And what's at stake? We'll talk about all of that and more this hour on Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson.
The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says he hasn't seen anything like this since the AIDS epidemic. He was of course
referring to Ebola. Doctor Thomas Frieden spoke to an IMF/World Bank meeting on Ebola in Washington earlier today. The international community
is scrambling to prevent the deadly virus from spreading even further.
Liberia just announced it is suspending next week's senatorial elections due to the epidemic
And five of the biggest airports in the United States has unveiled new screening measures for passengers from countries with patients infected by
Ebola.
Well, all this comes as doctors in Spain say a nurse's assistant there being treated for the virus has taken a turn for the worse. Al Goodman
joining me live from Madrid with the very latest, Al, on her condition.
AL GOODMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, a lot of changes here in Madrid. First, just a short while ago, the deputy director of this
hospital came out and told reporters just that, that the condition of the only known confirmed case of Ebola that happened outside of Africa, she got
it here in Spain. Her condition has worsened.
She was pepper, the deputy director. What kind of worsening? Has the treatment change? She went -- she said I can't talk about any of that,
because the patient has said expressly we can't talk about that.
Now, we can also tell you that the number of people in observation here was five, it is now six. Several of those are medical people from the
other hospital in the south of -- in south of Madrid where the confirmed patient went a few days ago. And it was known that she was then confirmed.
And she waited hours in the emergency room there even after the test came out positive before she was transferred here.
And this last item just in, Becky, the spokeswoman for the hospital says that they have cleared out the fourth floor, other patients in this
hospital, 18 patients in this hospital with nothing to do with Ebola are being moved either to their houses or to other facilities to make room for
the medical staff working on the Ebola patients or those -- the Ebola patient or those under observation.
So they're trying to get into a more firm footing here at this hospital, possibly if this situation goes in the wrong direction -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Al Goodman is in Madrid for you. Al, thank you for that.
The World Bank estimates that Ebola could cost African economies up to $32 billion over the next couple of years if it spreads to larger countries
in West Africa.
So far, Liberia has been hardest hit. Its fragile health system is being overwhelmed.
Nima Elbagir, my colleague, got a look at what it's like caring for the sick and the dying there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Blood-spattered and limp, too weak to hold up his head; a nurse struggles under the weight of a
desperately ill patient. The nurse agreeing to wear a camera to give us a glimpse of the bleak reality he witnesses daily. Here at this government-
run treatment center.
Today, the nurse managed to get this patient to drink water. It's a small victory.
For the last two months, Dr. Soka Moses and his team have worn their protective suits in unbearable heat, walking the high-risk wards to tend to
the patients in their care.
DR. SOKA MOSES, JFK EBOLA TREATMENT UNIT: Life is rough and then you die. What else can we do? If we don't do it who will do it for us? So,
we have to take the risk and take care of the patients or else our country will be wiped away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't leave some behind. Drain the whole tank, yeah.
MOSES: So, working in a high-risk zone is highly dangerous. You have so many patients in agony. Patients are crying in pain, some patients are
dying (inaudible), some patients needs help, some patients cannot move any longer and you see some patients you cannot do anything for them, they are
dying and all you do is you watch them die sometimes you pray for them. And do the little, you doing just hope that something miraculous happens.
ELBAGIR: Dr. Moses got one day's training before going into these wards and says that's typical here in a health care system struggling to
cope. You do what you need here to survive.
The nurse forgets the camera for a moment and begins to hum a hymn to himself, a comfort amidst the grimness. And ambulances arrive bringing
more patients. It begins again.
There is no room, so the stretcher goes on the floor for now, next to a mattress where another critical patient lies. Here, there are two
patients for every bed. More patients. It is unimaginably unrelenting.
But there are the success stories, and that's what sustains the staff.
Around the back of the Ebola ward, patients spot the camera and begin to wave. They are recovering, maybe even going home soon. But for the
staff, there is no end in sight.
What happens when you go home at the end of the day?
MOSES: I get prepared for another day.
ELBAGIR: And another day, and another day, until their prayers are finally answered.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, Monrovia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Still to come tonight on Connect the World with me Becky Anderosn, North Korea's supreme leader has slipped from the spotlight. The
question now is where is he? And is he still in control of the country.
And tense times between the U.S. and Turkey over Ankara's reluctance to do more against ISIS. More on our top story. We're live in Washington
to discuss just how much America needs Turkish support. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're with CNN. This is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson.
14 minutes past 7:00 in the UAE. Welcome back. And you are very welcome to the show.
Some news just coming in to CNN. And we are hearing that at least 24 people have died in pro-Kurdish protests in Turkey. Now that is coming to
us from the country's semi-official news agency. Many Kurds calling on Turkey's government to take tough action against ISIS, including ground and
military operations across the border in Syria.
Now over 100 people were reportedly injured and hundreds have been arrested. I haven't got you more information for you than this, but as it
comes in to CNN I will get it to you.
Authorities say some demonstrators died in clashes between rival groups, others died in clashes with police.
Well, Turkey's foreign minister says its not realistic for the world to expect his country to go it alone and launch a ground operation against
ISIS. Well, that may further anger Kurdish protesters in his own country. They took to the streets again to demand action from Ankara against the
Islamist militants who appear poised to take the city of Kobani, which as you will know by now, I'm sure, if you've been watching, sits right across
Turkey's border with Syria.
Well, there are certainly those who believe Turkey is using the desperation of the Kurds in Kobani to ultimately extract concessions from
fighters defending the town before allowing supplies, reinforcements. Is Ankara also, though, using what to all intents and purposes is a losing
fight against ISIS across the region to get buyin for what is their longstanding argument that the only way forward is boots on the ground in
Syria, a buffer zone in the north and a no-fly zone to police it.
Well, let's get some answers to those questions, or at least discuss that. Chief U.S. security correspondent Jim Sciutto, a regular guest on
this show, I'm pleased to say joining us again tonight from Washington.
And, Jim, Ankara has been asking for help to combat the threat from Syria for three years. It could be forgiven for saying I told you so at
this point, couldn't it?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, except that it was talking about a different threat. The U.S. sees the principal threat as ISIS,
Ankara's focus is on removing the regime of Bashar al-Assad. And that's to some degree the subject of the negotiation now over Turkish support and
really the disagreement. Ankara has different goals there than the U.S. does.
It also has a different sense of who the allies are, because right now you have Syrian Kurds battling ISIS, for instance, in the city of Kobani,
but that group there is tied to the PKK, which is a Kurdish group that's the Turks consider -- and actually the U.S. considers, or at least
officially considers a terrorist organization, and Turkey very concerned about the threat of Kurdish nationalists in the eastern part of the
country.
So, both the enemies and the allies in this conflict, the U.S. and the coalition and Turkey have different definitions of who they are.
ANDERSON: Jim, if anyone were in doubt that the Turkish president has his critics, I want our viewers to get a listen to this excerpts -- I'm
sure you've read it -- from a New York Times editorial. And I quote, "by keeping his forces on the sidelines and refusing to help in other ways --
like allowing Kurdish fighters to pass through Turkey, Erdogan seeks not only to weaken the Kurds, but also, in a test of will with President Obama
to force the United States to help him oust President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, whom he detests."
Lest we forget, of course, that was also a man that the rest of the world three years ago, two years ago, and I'm pretty sure there -- most
people -- well, most governments are still saying it, who were saying it three years ago, also detest.
SCIUTTO: It's true.
And remember, it was a goal of the Obama administration to remove Bashar al-Assad as well. And you'll remember two or three year's ago you
would hear from the president and other senior advisors the phrase Assad's days are numbered in Syria. You don't hear that phrase any more, and as
you know--
ANDERSON: What happened?
SCIUTTO: Well, a year ago the president had a -- you know, an opportunity, some would call it, to attack the regime of Bashar al-Assad
after the use of chemical weapons. He considered it. And then he pulled back.
Now a year later, he is taking military action in Syria, but against a different foe. And one of the ironies of this conflict is that by
attacking ISIS in many ways you're strengthening Assad, because ISIS is also battling Assad. And there have been reports from the ground in Syria
that because of the U.S. campaign against ISIS that Bashar al-Assad, Syrian government forces have been able to make advances against the many rebel
groups that are fighting it.
So, it is, Becky -- and, you know, we talk about this a lot -- it's such a messy situation. There's very little black and white in this
conflict. So it's hard -- and even with your allies, remember Turkey as you said, it's a NATO ally. You know, the U.S. and Turkey should be on the
same page here, but they have different goals, different enemies, different allies.
ANDERSON: I know you'll be able to address this next issue. I want to get whether Washington has reservations about Turkey's intentions in all
of this. And if so what they are.
But Jim, because we do that, last night I spoke to Saleh Moslem who is co-leader of the PYD party, sorry, the main Kurdish group in Syria, also
allied, by the way, with the PKK in Turkey. Have a listen to this exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Let me put this one question to you. You say you think that the United States has got other things that it's thinking about other
things. Do you have -- or have you spoken to -- anybody from the United States administration? Do you have any sort of open channels of
communication at all?
SALEH MOSLEM MOHAMMED, CO-LEADER KURDISH PYD PARTY: Yes, we have some channels, but not by myself. I mean, some other people, mediators, even
they are United States citizens. So we have relations with them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This is a man who is co-leader of a party whose people are being, as he suggested last night, well, party to genocide in Kobani,
because as he says we appreciate the airstrikes, but they're just not efficient enough.
This, again, an area -- and he represents the Syrian Kurds, where we see Turkey sort of sitting back and not opening a channel for
reinforcements and rearming of these fighters.
Do you think Washington thinks that Turkey has bad intentions here?
SCIUTTO: I don't necessarily bad intentions here, but perhaps different intentions than the U.S. has. I mean, there have been
accusations from Washington that Turkey is playing a game of brinksmanship here, saying, OK, we'll get involved but what are you going to do for us,
right? In particular, what are you -- are you going to direct some of these airstrikes not just against ISIS, but against Bashar al-Assad,
because removing Bashar al-Assad, that's Turkey's priority.
Now is that a conversation you should be having with a fellow NATO ally? That kind of negotiation? You know, there are some who would say
no, but listen all the players involved in this conflict have different goals here, or to some degree some competing goals. The one unifying
factor, even when you look at the Arab allies who have gotten involved in the air campaign is ISIS. That's the one unifying factor, even though the
Arab partners as well, they've got a Sunni-Shia -- you know, they've got a stake in the Sunni-Shia divide there.
So it's about I suppose as always, it's about finding where you're shared interests are and getting together to achieve those shared
interests.
But John Kerry said yesterday in Washington about the negotiations with Turkey. He said that discussions are going on right now and in his
words in the next hours or days you'll have some sort of agreement about what Turkey is willing to do. But at this stage, there do seem to be real
differences.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and also the concessions maybe the west or the allied coalition is prepared to make in order for Turkey to get involved.
All right, well, look, I mean, well done. A great analysis and it sort of continues. And we will talk again. Thank you.
It's a complex situation on the ground here. Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. Coming up, we'll
continue our focus on Turkey's involvement in the fight against ISIS. Ankara has yet to act despite deadly street protests calling for action.
I'm going to ask just why is the Turkish government so reluctant.
First, though, still no sign of North Korea's leader with just hours until he's expected at a high profile event. We ask where is this young
man?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: All eyes are on North Korea as the country's leader is expected to be front and center for the 69th anniversary of the Worker's
Party on Friday. But he's not been seen in public for more than a month. Rumors swirling about his whereabouts. Is he even in charge any more?
Here's Paula Hancocks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Walking through a surprised foreign media scrum last year, insuring our CNN cameraman gets
his close-up, and greeting his seemingly adoring and overwhelmed soldiers.
North Korean leader Kim Jong un has never been one to shy away from the camera, which makes his more than one month absence from public all the
more notable.
A visible limp and state acknowledgment of his, quote, "discomfort" pointing to health issues.
JOHN DELURY, YONSEI UNIVERISTY: There are reports that he has hurt his ankles. We've seen a lot of tapes of him limping pretty severely.
You know, if Kim Jong un has to be on crutches, that might be an image that North Korea doesn't want to show to the rest of the world.
HANCOCKS: Kim's second in command and other high ranking officials turning up in Seoul over the weekend, while both surprising and
significant, probably lays waste to breathless speculation of a coup. Although the delegation reportedly told their southern counterparts the
supreme leader wasn't even sick.
ANDREI LANKOV, KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY: I'm sure that's a yes he is in control, because, well, if you assume that he has been somehow removed, we
would expect some serious changes in the personal composition of the leadership -- new appointments, new dismissals, some people going missing.
HANCOCKS: Assuming Kim Jong un is calling the shots, North Korea is true to form blowing hot and cold, slamming South Korean President Park
Geun-hye last week as a, quote, wretched pro-U.S. stooge and traitor to the nation.
Two days later, top officials are all smiles with an unprecedented visit to Seoul pushing for inter-Korean talks. Another two days pass and
North and South Korean boats exchange fire along the disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.
The very next day, Pyongyang's deputy ambassador to the United Nations invites reporters to a highly unusual briefing.
It's these contradictory signals that lead many analysts to assume that it is in fact business as usual in North Korea, even if the leader is
nowhere to be scene. And the next litmus test is Friday, and the anniversary of the founding of the Worker's Party, ceremonies where Kim
Jong un would usually be front and central.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, the latest world news headlines are just ahead, as you would imagine at this point of the hour. And Turkey's location at the
crossroads of Europe and Asia has always made it pivotal as a player on the global stage, but with the fight against ISIS ramping up, its positioning
has rarely been more important. We're going to analyze Ankara's next move up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Welcome back, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. The top stories for you this hour.
The head of the Centers for Disease Control says that he hasn't seen a disease outbreak like Ebola since the AIDS epidemic. He made those
comments to leaders at the World Bank who are holding talks on the crisis. So far, Ebola has killed more than 3800 people in West Africa.
The government of Hong Kong has called off talks with student pro- democracy protesters. The city's chief secretary accuses student leaders of undermining any chance for constructive dialogue. Protest leaders have
threatened to ramp up their occupation of key parts of the city if the government doesn't meet their demands.
While Turkish tanks sit on the border with Syria overlooking Kobani, a fierce street-to-street battle intensifies in the city, and witnesses say
the situation is getting worse. Sources say ISIS has managed to get in reinforcements from their stronghold in Raqqa, and the Pentagon says it
expects Kobani to fall.
NATO's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg is in Ankara for talks on Turkey's participation in the fight against ISIS. The Turkish government
is being encouraged to take a more active role, but it's at odds with the coalition over the terms of its involvement.
NATO says it's ready to defend Turkey if there's any spillover of the deadly violence plaguing its southern neighbors. The problem is that
Turkey has been asking for help to combat the threat from Syria for three years now, and while the US and its allies have weighted their options,
that threat has intensified immeasurably, and Turkey's stance has been solid throughout.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Turkey's cooperation is regarded by many as key to the success of any coalition against ISIS.
(EXPLOSION)
ANDERSON: But Ankara has some key requests before it commits. They've been on the table for some time, and increasingly a part of the
political dialogue.
The first stipulation: a buffer zone along the Syrian-Turkish border to contain the crisis and protect those most at risk. Since spring 2011,
nearly 870,000 Syrians have registered as refugees in Turkey. In addition to the millions now resident in Lebanon, Jordan, and elsewhere, they
represent the most visible byproduct of the spiraling conflict.
In recent days, the US and UK have said they are willing to consider creating a safe zone --
(AUDIO GAP)
ANDERSON: -- said it's currently not an option.
JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This is something that the Turks themselves have raised on a number of occasions, and we've obviously
talked to them about them. It's not something that is under consideration right now.
ANDERSON: The second request: a no-fly zone over the Turkey-Syria border. More than two years ago, then-US secretary of state Hillary
Clinton said that she was examining the options to help Syrian rebels overthrow Bashar al-Assad in the same way that Libyans overthrew Moammar
Gadhafi. It never materialized.
French president Francois Hollande this week backed such a move in the fight against ISIS. Other NATO members have yet to follow suit.
Turkey's ultimate goal is ousting the Syrian president. Direct involvement in that objective is something its allies have so far been
hesitant to commit to. The US says its focus is ISIS, and it wants Turkey to take stronger action against the militants. But Turkey so far has
resisted. Delicate negotiations with priorities on both sides and much at stake.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So, Ankara under pressure to take tougher action on ISIS, especially as we receive word this hour that 24 people have died on
protests in Turkey on that very issue. So, why the government's reluctance to act? And what does Turkey risk by playing its waiting game. Perhaps
the other way of looking at it is what does it gain?
I want to bring in two people who know both sides of this debate. Haldun Solmazturk is a retired brigadier in the Turkish army. Mustafa
Akyol is a columnist for Turkey's -- one of Turkey's daily newspapers. They join me from London and Istanbul respectively.
Before we start, let me just get you a sense of what's going on in the sort of sphere outside of Turkey, as it were. "The New York Times,"
certainly, in an editorial today, very outspoken about what it refers to as a cynical, political calculation from Ankara, on the one hand.
Sitting by and watching Kurds getting slaughtered, on the other, wanting the US, NATO, and other allies to help in putting boots on the
ground in the fight against Assad. So, let's start with you, Haldun. What's Turkey's game plan here?
HALDUN SOLMAZTURK, RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL, TURKISH ARMY: I think Turkey does not have a game plan, and I believe it would be unfair to
describe Turkey's position as reluctance. Turkey and the Turkish government is simply unable to take any action because there is no legal
ground.
Turkey so far has done its best, accepted millions of refugees, and passed a resolution from the parliament to deploy Turkish troops, but also
the deployment of foreign troops on Turkish soil. And we haven't heard anything so far to this end. No military action can be conducted for
military purposes only. So understandably --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: They could open the border to Kurdish fighters, or at least to -- hang on. Hang on, sir. They could open the border for resupplies
for fighters fighting ISIS on the ground in Kobani, couldn't they, Mustafa?
MUSTAFA AKYOL, COLUMNIST, "HURRIYET DAILY NEWS": Well, they could, and I certainly defend that, and I criticized the government for some
inaction. But also, we should understand why the government is in a conundrum here.
First of all, Turkey has not been watching the Kurds being slaughtered. Turkey welcomed the Kurds, more than 200,00 recently Kurds
came from Kobani into Turkey. So, Turkey gave them safe haven.
But the problem, really, here, is that Kobani is encircled by ISIS, and the Kurdish rebels who are fighting ISIS there, which I think we should
report, but they are also the extensions of the PKK, which Turkey considers itself as a terrorist organization.
So, from the Turkish public opinion point of view, here is a terrorist organization called ISIS, but their opponents are a terrorist organization
by Turkish definitions as well. Well, Turkey has been leading a peace process with the PKK, so I think that should be the basis for more sympathy
with the group within Syria.
But that is also the difficult thing. You can't hardly explain to Turks that -- we will now --
(AUDIO GAP)
AKYOL: -- for 30 years who have killed Turkish troops. So, that's a problem there.
ANDERSON: I'm just losing you technically, so while we reestablish you and at least the sound, let me get back to you, Haldun. The PKK not
recognized by the US or certainly designated by the US, if we can call it that.
So, is Ankara do you think, or is it fair to say, or certainly some people would suggest, that Ankara is using ISIS as a tool for its own ends
in Syria. How would you counter that argument?
SOLMAZTURK: If you asked me this question about two years ago, I would confidently say yes. But not today. The conditions have changed
drastically. People keep talking about this small town and Kurdish fighters.
First of all, we do not know if really there are some Kurdish fighters available somewhere waiting in northern Iraq for Turkish approval or
permission to pass through the Turkish territory into Syria. We do not know this, this is just speculation.
Furthermore, nobody is offering any game plan internationally. So, everybody's expecting Turkey to move in and to solve the problems. But the
problems, as we know, has been ongoing for quite a long time. It's more complicated --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: You're a --
SOLMAZTURK: -- much more complex than it is painted.
ANDERSON: Mustafa, I'm going to come back to you. Sir, you are a retired brigadier in the Turkish army. What we've heard from Turkey again,
and again, and again is we want boots on the ground, we want a buffer zone in the north and, to all intents and purposes, was is needed for that,
which is a no-fly zone in order to enforce it. If you were designing tactics going forward. Is that what you would want at this point?
(CROSSTALK)
SOLMAZTURK: Well, it --
AKYOL: (inaudible) -- of an idea is not about ISIS or the PKK, it's about the Assad regime. And that actually is why the picture is so
complicated, because right now, the West has in mind ISIS as the problem, whereas Turkey has ISIS, the PKK, and the Assad regime as the problems.
And whether it's the right evaluation or not, that's the reality. And I would not go as far as to say that Turkey supports ISIS. Turkey doesn't
support ISIS. Maybe Turkey supported some of the precursors of the group, which were fighting the Assad regime.
Now, Turkey sees the group as a problem. But how to move forward is difficult, and the international community is saying, the media -- the
Western media is saying that Turkey should do something, but what that is is not that clear.
I think there is one thing that is clear that Turkey should do. Turkey should allow Kurdish fighters from northern Iraq to go to Kobani,
and Turkey should open a corridor so they can defend the Kurdish city there.
But this can't also be possible when the PKK, the Kurdish fighters in Syria as well, gives certain guarantees to Turkey that the arms that will
go to these Kurdish fighters will not turn back to Turkey. That's the other thing that the government has in mind. As for the buffer zone,
Turkey wants a buffer zone --
ANDERSON: Gentlemen --
AKYOL: -- but this has not been an issue that the international community has been so much interested.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Gentlemen, we appreciate your time. We thank you very much, indeed. I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD.
Thank you for watching. MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST follows this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, HOST: It's an often-overlooked emirate compared to the UAE's growing mega-cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but Fujairah is
looking to boost its place on the map and become a strategic location for energy exports. This week, MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST heads to the tiny
emirate with lofty ambitions. Plus, pipeline politics --
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NATIG ALIYEV, MINISTER OF ENERGY, AZERBAIJAN: And it is not only Azerbaijan in the focus of Europe's interests. It is the Caspian region.
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DEFTERIOS: Azerbaijan's industry and energy minister tells us why ongoing political instability is a cause for concern.
Welcome to the program. We're in Fujairah, one of seven emirates making up the UAE. This largely mountainous area covers only 2 percent of
the country. In the past, it did not benefit from Abu Dhabi's oil wealth or Dubai's trade and tourism traffic. But large-scale investment is
rapidly changing the landscape here.
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DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Sandwiched between the Hajar Mountains and sandy beaches, the tiny northern emirate of Fujairah has always been the
more laid-back sister city of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Until recently, it is the minerals lying under Fujairah's famous mountains that has helped boost
the emirate's economy.
Sitting on vast resources of limestone and hard rock, Fujairah has been exploited for years by warring companies producing construction
materials like cement and stone wool. With various activities like diving, fishing, and even mountain-climbing on offer, Fujairah is now positioning
itself as the UAE's up-and-coming tourist destination.
More recently, however, this traditionally backwater emirate has turned itself into a major shipping port for trade to and from the Gulf and
has become a key strategic export hub for the UAE's oil.
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DEFTERIOS: It is no surprise that Fujairah is investing in its port and free zone activities. It is the only emirate that has a coastline on
the Indian Ocean south of the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, the UAE is now investing billions of dollars to make it an oil and gas distribution
point.
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DEFTERIOS (voice-over): The Port of Fujairah is putting new meaning into the phrase "Build it and they will come." Sitting south of the
world's busiest oil shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, it wants to become a global energy hub.
The initial idea came during the first Gulf War in 1991, when there was a traffic jam triggered by concerns of bomb attacks.
MOUSA MURAD, CAPTAIN, GENERAL MANAGER, PORT OF FUJAIRAH: More than 200 ships just waiting here. From that, we said, yes, I think we should
think about how we consider this shipping and the maritime services.
DEFTERIOS: Today, the once-sleepy port is going well beyond loading fuel for ships. After Iran threatened to shut down the Strait in 2008, the
emirate of neighboring Abu Dhabi decided to leverage Fujairah's strategic location.
DEFTERIOS (on camera): This is a control room at an energy storage terminal here in Fujairah. The UAE government built a pipeline worth more
than $3 billion to take crude from Abu Dhabi to the port on the Indian Ocean. It has a capacity of 1.5 million barrels a day.
DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Open two years ago, the pipeline can take in about half of the UAE's daily production.
THANGAPANDIAN SRINIVASALU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GULF PETROCHEM: The Strait of Hormuz always is a problem. And Abu Dhabi by plan came in here,
and I don't see a reason why other producers will not be bringing in the pipelines here shortly.
DEFTERIOS: The 30-year veteran of the business says Fujairah has something the top energy hubs in Asia and Europe don't have -- it sits in a
neighborhood with 60 percent of proven oil reserves.
SRINIVASALU: Unlike Singapore and Rotterdam, which are the leading ports, you are surrounded by crude producers, surrounded by the foundries.
So, this is what interested us the most. And very peaceful.
DEFTERIOS: And the UAE is upping the ante, adding a big refinery and the ability to handle so-called VLCCs, Very Large Crude Carriers, that ship
up to 2 million barrels.
MALEK AZIZEH, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, FUJAIRAH OIL TERMINAL: It can carry about 90 percent.
DEFTERIOS: Malek Azizeh of Fujairah Oil Terminal says those investments are game changers. He's involved in a joint venture with
backing from Sinopec of China and Concord Energy of Singapore. That opens in December.
AZIZEH: All these things, add them up, and they give you the perfect scenario for somebody to take a step forward and get out of the usual thing
and do something different.
DEFTERIOS: And if talks go well with Tehran over its nuclear program, this expanding hub could also welcome Iranian crude if sanctions are lifted
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DEFTERIOS: Securing energy supplies, of course, is crucial. Tensions remain high, of course, in Iraq and Syria. And also, with Russia and
Ukraine. We'll get into pipeline politics and the rising powers in the natural gas industry when MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST continues.
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DEFTERIOS: Welcome back to MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST, this week from the emirate of Fujairah in the UAE. It is widely known that more than half
of the proven reserves of oil are based here in the Middle East. But also, better than a quarter of the gas reserves. And with rising gas demand,
especially in Asia, there's a scramble now to bring more gas to market over the next five years.
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DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Since the Saudi-led 1973 Arab oil embargo when the world first realized what life would be without crude, oil has
stolen the limelight when it comes to energy security.
But now, there's a new contender that is garnering attention. Natural gas is the world's fastest-growing fossil fuel, with consumption expected
to surge over 50 percent by 2040.
The Middle East sits on the bulk of the world's proven gas reserves, with Iran and Qatar holding the lion's share. Iran has over 1,000 trillion
cubic feet of natural gas. That's the equivalent of 206 billion barrels of oil, with Qatar following behind.
Over the past two decades, the Gulf state has undergone a massive transformation, turning a tiny nation of less than 2 million people into an
economic powerhouse and the world's largest exporter of LNG.
But the region is not the only energy player. With gas reserves equivalent to 190 billion barrels of oil, Russia is a dominating force,
currently supplying Europe with 30 percent of its energy needs.
Natural gas is an ever-evolving market, and new players are emerging onto the scene rapidly. The US discovers of shale oil and gas is a game
changer for the energy sector, with the United States saying it can look to energy independence by 2020. And East African nations of Tanzania and
Mozambique are being dubbed as the new frontiers.
But like oil, geopolitical tensions remain high over a Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, especially this winter, leaving the markets nervous and
nations looking to alternative sources of energy.
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DEFTERIOS: Azerbaijan also has a presence in Fujairah. Socar is the state energy company of the country. I asked the industry and energy
minister how the tensions in Russia and Ukraine will impact demand on the southern corridor, taking gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey.
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ALIYEV: It's not only Azerbaijan in the focus of Europe's interests. It is the Caspian region. Because we are now work -- we have free lateral
discussions with EU, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, to deliver natural gas to Europe and make a fourth corridor.
DEFTERIOS: It's interesting. If you look at the numbers today, you have about a half a percent of both the oil and natural gas reserves --
proven reserves. But you think you're just warming up. You've got a long ways to go. Tell us about your targets over the next five to ten years.
ALIYEV: Now we are considering that this is a very pessimistic scenario that we deliver since 2019 16 billion cubic meters gas to Turkey,
to Greece, to Italy.
DEFTERIOS: This is almost triple what you are today.
ALIYEV: Yes, right. But in my mind, it will be more. It will be more. Up to 25 billion cubic meters.
DEFTERIOS: So today, Minister, Azerbaijan has provided about 5 percent of European supplies. Over the next eight years, you think you can
provide 10 percent, if not more. Is that a correct calculation?
ALIYEV: Yes, this is correct. But it is what we are waiting for of full development of our resources. If we will be successful, it will give
us new opportunities to have new discoveries.
DEFTERIOS: We see US shale production going up.
ALIYEV: Yes.
DEFTERIOS: East Africa coming onto the market.
ALIYEV: Yes.
DEFTERIOS: Australia coming onto the market.
ALIYEV: Oh, yes.
DEFTERIOS: Could we have a big glut of natural gas in five years, where there's too much natural gas on the market?
ALIYEV: There is a lot of questions. It is uncertainty. What is volumes? What is really the price of the producing of this gas? Again, I
would like to say that the world economy needs more and more very friendly environmental sources of energy. And natural gas is one of these energies.
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DEFTERIOS: Natig Aliyev looking at the gas market in the near future, the minister of industry and energy for Azerbaijan.
And that's all for this edition of CNN MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST, this week from the emirate of Fujairah in the UAE. I'm John Defterios, thanks
for watching.
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