Γενικά θέματα 4 Αυγούστου 2012

A Newly Assertive Turkey Dominates Trade With Iraq

Turkey-Iraq ties took a hit this year when Iraqis in Basra, top, protested Turkey’s decision to shelter an Iraqi accused of overseeing assassinations.

BASRA, Iraq—The U.S. made its mark on Iraq with a military intervention. Iran has reshaped the country through shared religious beliefs. Now, as American influence wanes here, Turkey, a neighbor to the north, is wielding economic clout to become a major player in Iraq.

Turkey is today the country’s biggest trading partner, with exports nearly tripling since 2007. Rising Turkish influence is evident almost everywhere: Private companies are cleaning streets, training doctors, operating the best hotels and providing the bulk of electricity to Basra,

one of Iraq’s most power-challenged cities. Turkey’s commercial offensive is part of the broader assertiveness that is transforming it into a regional power across the Middle East.

Περισσότερα WSJ