THE ARAB SPRING PROCESS ANDAFTERMATH OF TÜRKIYE- LIBYA RELATIONS

 

ABSTRACT

  Following the Arab Spring, Libya-Türkiye relatıons have undergone a significant transformatıon since 2011. The civil war in Libya has reshaped Türkiye’s policies towards the country and increased opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. Türkiye has supported Libya’s legitimate government. The Government of Natıonal Accord, providing military and economic aid and also energy sectors. During this process, Libya’s strategic location and rich natural resources have played and economic cooperation, relations between the countries have also been strengthened the Arab Spring, Libya-Türkiye relations have developed in line with mutual interests and have gained an important place in regional Dynamics.

Keywords; Arab Spring, Türkye, Libya, Relation, Proactıve

ÖZ

  Arap Baharı'nın ardından Libya-Türkiye ilişkileri 2011 yılından itibaren önemli bir dönüşüme uğradı. Libya'daki iç savaş, Türkiye'nin ülkeye yönelik politikalarını yeniden şekillendirdi ve iki ülke arasındaki işbirliği fırsatlarını artırdı. Türkiye, Libya'nın meşru hükümetini destekledi. Ulusal Mutabakat Hükümeti, askeri ve ekonomik yardımların yanı sıra enerji sektörlerine de yardım sağlıyor. Bu süreçte Libya'nın stratejik konumu ve zengin doğal kaynakları oynamış, ekonomik iş birliği, Arap Baharı ile ülkeler arasındaki ilişkiler de güçlenmiş, Libya-Türkiye ilişkileri karşılıklı çıkarlar doğrultusunda gelişmiş ve bölgesel dinamiklerde önemli bir yer kazanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler; Arap Baharı, Türkiye, Libya, İlişkiler, Proaktif

INTRODUCTION

First of all, I would like to point out that since many countries, organizations and experts in the field call the popular movement in North African countries and Middle Eastern countries the Arab Spring, I will use the term Arab Spring instead of popular movement in this article.

  Türkiye has deep-rooted relations with the Libyan people dating back centuries. The relations that started between the Turkish and Libyan peoples during the Ottoman period gained momentum again with the diplomatic relations established after the Libyan State, which was established on 24 December 1951, was immediately recognized by Türkiye. The first Turkish Ambassador in Libya, Celal Karasapan, started his duty on September 4, 1953. The Arab Spring is a series of social, political and movements that broke out in Tunisia in 2010 and spread to many Arab countries in a short time. While this process symbolized the people's rebellion against authoritarian regimes, it also decisively changed the balance of power in the region. During this period, Türkiye reshaped the characteristics of Libya under the influence of the Arab Spring. The civil war, especially with the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, deeply affected Turkey's policies towards Libya. Türkiye has developed various strategies in this process, with the aim of becoming an effective actor in Libya both politically and economically. In this sense, the evolution of Türkiye-Libya relations during the Arab Spring period, Turkey's role in Libya and the dynamics of this family can be discussed. In this context, the historical background of Libya-Turkey relations and current developments are discussed in detail.

 

Historical and Strategic Importance of Libya (Tripoli) for Türkiye

  Libya (Tripoli) has a great historical and strategic importance for Turkey due to its geographical location. Tripoli joined the Ottoman Empire in 1551 and remained under this administration for centuries. When Italy attempted to invade the region in 1911, the local people remained loyal to the Ottoman Empire and resisted. During this period, the Ottomans tried to organize the local people to resist the Italian occupation, but were forced to accept the Italian occupation with the Treaty of Ouchy in 1912.

  With the beginning of World War I, the Ottoman Empire established the "Africa Group Command" to support the resistance in Libya and fought against the Italian occupation together with the local people. However, at the end of the war, the Ottoman Empire was defeated and with the Treaty of Mudros on October 30, 1918, the Ottoman soldiers in Tripoli and Benghazi surrendered to the Allied forces. In this context, Tripoli has a special importance for Turkey as the last piece of land to be released from Ottoman rule.

  In this respect, Tripoli (Libya) has a special importance for Türkiye as it is the last piece of land in North Africa that came out of Ottoman rule. In the post-Ottoman period, after being under Italian occupation for a while Historically close relations between Libya and Türkiye, which became independent in 1951 continued to increase. After the Italian occupation, the local people in the region, especially under the leadership of the Senusids,many years He fought against the Italians. In the new conjuncture that emerged after the Second World War, the Libyan people achieved the outcome of their long-standing struggle for independence and became independent in 1951. Turkey provided close support during the process of Libya becoming independent. Libya, on the other hand, responded to this support as a rare country that supported Turkey in the Cyprus Peace Operation.

  As a matter of fact, from historydeep ties from Thanks to this, relations between Türkiye and Libya continued to increase throughout the post-Ottoman Republic period and the two Manymilitary, political, commercial and cultural agreements have been signed between the countries. Developments in the Mediterranean in recent years and the civil war in Libya, this country's maritime neighbor Turkey It made it necessary to take strategic steps in the Mediterranean. The Limitation of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas signed between Turkey and Libya and supports Libya with Military Cooperation Agreements. In this context The political, diplomatic and military steps taken also contribute to Turkey's interests in the Mediterranean.

Libya and the Arab Spring

  The Arab Spring process began with the popular movement in Tunisia when Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire, and this movement overthrew the government. Then, in Egypt, the president and the government were forced to resign as a result of the demonstrations in Tahrir Square. This process soon affected Libya, and the opposition rose up against the Gaddafi regime. As in Egypt and Tunisia, Gaddafi did not choose to relinquish power peacefully and resorted to using force against the rebels. Gaddafi's harsh approach caused the popular movement in Libya to be longer and more violent than those in Egypt and Tunisia. This situation led to the opposition taking control of cities in the east, especially Benghazi. After the opposition took control in eastern Libya, efforts to establish an alternative political structure to the Gaddafi regime gained momentum. As a result of these efforts, the Transitional Libyan National Council was established on March 5, 2011, under the leadership of Mustafa Mohamed Abdul Jalil. The factors that triggered the uprising in Libya are similar to those in other CCA countries. Years of authoritarian and oppressive rule, combined with corruption and mismanagement, have brought people together to overthrow the current regime. However, unlike Egypt and Tunisia, Libya was completely centered around the leader, and the conflicts during the uprising have become a struggle for survival. The 42-year dictatorship ended with the assassination of Gaddafi on October 20, 2011.

 

Türkiye and the Arab Spring

  At a time when neo-Ottoman ideas were being discussed and the principles of Zero Problems and Neighbors were being displayed in Turkey’s foreign policy towards the Middle East, the Arab Spring created significant shocks. The region, which was characterized by peace and prosperity, especially within the framework of the zero problem policy, turned into a war zone. In fact, the zero problem approach with neighbors is one of the most important tools of Turkey’s foreign policy, which has recently been seeking autonomy. This approach aims to ensure that Turkey has as few problems as possible with its neighbors and the nearby geography and to transform the region into an area of ​​trust and stability. Since Turkey knows that it will be dependent on non-regional actors if it has problems with its neighbors, it pursues policies that are as problem-free and balanced as possible. During the Arab Spring, Turkey’s foreign policy has not given up on the principle of zero problems in economic and diplomatic terms. Turkey maintains its weight and diplomatic power in the Middle East and supports the -democratic- transition processes of the countries in the region. In addition, it is a correct goal to raise bilateral relations to a high level of cooperation within the framework of the zero problem policy with neighbors. Turkey’s attitude and results during this process have had a great impact in the international community. So much so that, thoughts have emerged that Turkey, which has emerged stronger from the Arab Spring, could become the leading country in the Middle East in the future..

  In summary, when the attitude of Turkish Foreign Policy towards the popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa is evaluated, it shows that it acts in line with the foreign policy followed by Turkey, except for Libya, and in Libya, it acts together with the West in a pragmatic and realistic manner. In addition, while Turkey wants to continue to establish a problem-free and trust-based relationship with its neighbors without deviating from the axis of its general foreign policy, which it follows as the rising and soft power of the region, it also shows that it can act realistically and pragmatically in line with Turkey's interests.

 

Constructivist approach in Türkiye-Libya relations

  Turkish foreign policy towards the Arab Spring in Libya has turned to a proactive foreign policy preference rather than a wait-and-see policy. It can be said that Turkey has shaped its foreign policy preferences regarding Libya, which has similar cultural characteristics, religious preferences, and social life, and whose people it defines as “friends and brothers”, with a constructivist approach based on the aforementioned values.

  Turkey’s foreign policy approach is a value-oriented approach that prioritizes and expresses the integrity of Libya and that the interests of its people are not harmed. The Turkish Government, which cares about the Libyan people, has shaped its foreign policy preferences by taking into account the interests and values ​​of these people.

  Turkey has expressed its statements within the framework of a concept that cares about the Libyan people and their interests, and has advised Western powers to be sensitive to the Libyan people and their interests. Turkey's similar warning to Gaddafi and subsequent Libyan governments to protect and develop democracy, human rights, the rule of law, human rights and freedoms is a reflection of the same approach. Based on all this, it can be said that Turkish foreign policy towards Libya has developed around social values such as culture and identity and has been realized within a constructivist framework where its own interests  are not prioritized. 

The Events in Libya in the Post-Arab Spring Period and Analysis of Türkiye-Libya Relations

  When the first winds of the Arab Spring process in Libya began to blow, Turkey was seen to be acting rationally and pursuing mediation policies. Turkey tried to present itself as a model of democratic Islam, emphasizing the importance of gaining the sympathy of the Arab peoples in this process. While Davutoğlu and the group of diplomats planned to organize reconciliation talks between Gaddafi and the opposition, then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan opposed NATO's intervention. This stance reflected Turkey's efforts to gain an anti-imperialist and friendly image in the Arab world.

  Turkey's investment of more than 200 construction companies in Libya, worth 20 billion US dollars, prevented Turkey from taking sides between Gaddafi and the opposition in the early stages of the Libyan Civil War. Fear of possible economic damage if Gaddafi lost power prevented Turkey from immediately reacting. In addition, the fact that 25,000 Turkish citizens in Libya were in danger led Turkey to remain in the position of mediator. However, the fact that France started bombing Libya and Turkey was not invited to the Paris Summit on March 19, 2011 caused Turkey to look more positively at NATO's intervention, as it did not want to be excluded from the developments in Libya. As Gaddafi increased his violence against civilians, the NATO operation that started on March 31, 2011 was also directed within this framework.

 

Analysis of the United Nations Security Council's Libya Intervention

  The military intervention in Libya took place in 2011 following the civil unrest that broke out as a result of the Arab Spring. The protests launched by the people against the Gaddafi regime quickly turned into a major uprising. During this period, the human rights violations in Libya attracted the attention of the international community and many countries did not remain indifferent to the situation.

  On March 17, 2011, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 1973 to protect civilians in Libya. This resolution stipulated that a no-fly zone be declared over Libya and that military intervention be carried out if necessary. The United States, the European Union and the Arab League countries supported this resolution and decided to take action against Gaddafi.

  The operations were carried out under the leadership of NATO and effective interventions were carried out against strategic points of Gaddafi's forces with air strikes. During this process, the support provided by the international coalition contributed to the strengthening of opposition groups and ultimately to the overthrow of Gaddafi. However, the instability and civil war that followed this intervention in Libya made it difficult to achieve lasting peace in the country. The future of Libya continues to be affected by this complex process and continues to attract the attention of the international community.

 

Türkiye-Libya relations after Gaddafi's death

  Following the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime, Turkey’s policies towards Libya were shaped by efforts to ensure stability in the region. Amid the chaos in Libya, Turkey took an active role in establishing peace in the country and ending conflicts between groups. Within the framework of bilateral agreements with the interim government, Turkey provided training and consultancy services to Libya’s security forces and took important steps towards building capacity in the field of security.

  However, the division of Libya into two following the controversial elections in 2014 and the escalation of conflicts between local actors into armed conflicts diminished the impact of these efforts. Turkey supported international cooperation for a peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis and demanded the inclusion of all local actors in these processes. In this context, Turkey’s role in Libya was not limited to military support, but also included diplomatic efforts.

  As a result, Turkey adopted a foreign policy that addressed the events in Libya from two main perspectives. First, it actively participated in the international arena to ensure Libya’s full independence and prevent it from falling into the quagmire of war that Afghanistan and Iraq experienced in the past. Second, it tried to draw a roadmap that would prevent the emergence of a situation that would harm democratic change processes in North Africa and the Middle East. These efforts can be considered as a reflection of Turkey’s desire to ensure stability in Libya and contribute to peace processes in the region.

 

Eastern Mediterranean Problem between Libya and Türkiye

  Disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean region continue to occupy an important place in international relations. In this context, the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Turkey and the Libyan National Accord Government on November 27, 2019 stands out as a critical step in terms of developments in the region. This agreement is considered an important effort to determine the maritime jurisdiction areas of the two countries in the Mediterranean. The signing of such agreements in line with Turkey's efforts to protect its sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean is also of great importance in terms of international law.  Another important issue is the guidance provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and international law on the determination of maritime jurisdiction areas. In particular, the legal framework provided by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) plays a critical role in protecting the rights of the parties and resolving disputes. In this process, the establishment of legitimate international agreements that do not violate the rights of third parties should be an extremely important goal in terms of both regional stability and international security.

  Turkey can continue the approach it followed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Libya within a broader framework, in the context of the Eastern Mediterranean crisis. By adopting a proactive policy, it should take the necessary steps within the framework of international law and continue negotiations. In this way, both Turkey's national interests can be protected and a fair and lasting solution can be achieved with other countries in the region. Therefore, it is of great importance to carefully monitor developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and increase international cooperation in order to prevent possible future disputes.

 

Turkey's military support to Libyan Government of National Accord forces

  While the search for a political solution continues in Libya, the rebel forces of Khalifa Haftar in the east attempted to seize Tripoli on April 4, 2019, by launching attacks on the National Accord (GNA) recognized by the United Nations. Haftar aimed to stop the only available services based on UN Security Council Resolution 2259 and take control of Libya. In the shadow of these developments, a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding on "Security and Military Cooperation" was signed between Turkey and the GNA on November 27, 2019, and this document established a legal basis for Turkey to provide military, political and support to Libya. When Tripoli was in danger, the GNA made a five-wire emergency request for assistance, including from Turkey. Thereupon, with the authority received from the Turkish Grand National Assembly, on January 2, 2020, Turkey accepted the invitation of the GNA and gave the Turkish Armed Forces the authority to provide support against illegitimate groups. Security Council resolution numbered 2259, Turkey helped the GNA increase its resistance against Haftar's attacks. Thus, the attacks have been stopped and it is on a suitable basis to restart the political process with ceasefire initiatives. However, some states claimed that these interventions were not in accordance with international law. Although the danger in Tripoli was temporarily eliminated with Turkey's intervention, the threats and attacks of Haftar's forces ended. In particular, some countries continued to support Haftar and started to make initiatives towards Libya in the Eastern Mediterranean. In this case, the Turkey-Libya cooperation process has been strengthened even more. Therefore, the evaluations as a whole are considered correct after the relations and agreements between Turkey and the GNA were changed. 

Türkiye-Libya economic relations from the Arab Spring to the present

  The trade balance with Libya has been in Turkey’s favor in recent years. Due to the events, our exports to Libya in 2011 decreased from $1.935 billion in 2010 (our imports in 2010 were $426 million) to $765 million (our imports decreased to $140 million in 2011), but regained momentum in the January-May period of 2012, reaching $873 million (imports were $61.3 million in the January-April period of 2012). The main items in our exports are industrial products (machinery, transportation vehicles, textiles and ready-made clothing, semi-finished products, iron and steel, chemicals, other consumer goods, etc.) and foodstuffs, while almost all of our imports consist of oil and oil-based products. It is thought that there is potential for export to this country in the fields of construction equipment and materials, automotive, furniture, white goods, textile, food, electrical and electronic products. It is expected that many international fairs will be organized in Libya in various sectors in the upcoming period and it is evaluated that it will be beneficial for our companies to participate in these fairs. As for economic relations, in the new period that started after the popular uprising that started on February 17, 2011 ended with the end of the Gaddafi regime and the declaration of the country's liberation from the Gaddafi regime on October 23, 2011, Libya is expected to accelerate its efforts to renew the infrastructure and superstructure in order to recover from the effects of the destruction experienced during the revolution and to revitalize the economy, and to develop the oil industry, which is the most important source of income, as well as non-oil sectors. In this context, it is expected that the return of our businessmen, especially our contractors, to Libya will accelerate with the establishment of the legislation regulating business life in Libya and the improvement of the investment environment.

 

CONCLUSION

  As a result, the historical and strategic importance of Libya for Turkey following the Arab Spring paved the way for deepening relations between the two countries. The political uncertainties following Gaddafi’s death brought about Turkey’s efforts to increase its influence in Libya. During the civil war in Libya, Turkey provided military support to the Government of National Accord (GNA), making significant contributions to the survival of this government. This military support not only increased Turkey’s influence in Libya, but also affected the geopolitical balances in the Eastern Mediterranean.

  The civil war in Libya led to increased political instability and conflict in the country, which necessitated Turkey’s intervention. The military support provided by Turkey increased the GNA’s resistance against Haftar’s forces and gave significant momentum to its efforts to establish control in northern Libya. During this process, Turkey’s military presence not only affected Libya’s internal dynamics, but also aimed to protect Turkey’s strategic interests in the region.

  The geopolitical tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and the UN’s support for Libya coincide with Turkey’s strategies to strengthen its role in the region. The development of economic relations is progressing in line with the mutually beneficial goals of both countries, and Libya’s importance in terms of Turkey’s energy security is increasing. While Libya’s rich energy resources present a strategic opportunity for Turkey, Turkey stands out as an important actor in the reconstruction of Libya.

  In this context, Libya’s stability stands out as a critical element for Turkey’s regional goals. In the future, Turkey’s relations with Libya will continue to deepen both politically and economically, affecting the balances in the region. Turkey’s policies towards Libya will shape not only the relations between the two countries, but also the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean and contribute to regional security. 

RESOURCES

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