Portugal-Turkey relations

Portugal and turkey present more differences than similarities.

However, since 2009 both countries strengthen their diplomatic and
economic partnership. Portugal is a major supporter of Turkeys EUmembership and both are geographically well strategized. The relations
increased since 2009, and the contact between both nations will definitely
grow. The proximity to Europe, the dominance of African markets, the
Atlantic-Mediterranean position towards Asia-Pacific geopolitics changing
and the commercialization in the Caucasus are some of the reasons that
convince both nations to enclose their contacts.
Portugal, in spite of being one of the countries more affected by the
2008 European crisis, it is also one of the European nations who most
establish commercial and goods relations with the majority of nations
from Latin America such as Brazil, Venezuela, Peru; Central and North
America or Asia such as China, Timor-Leste, India and Malaysia, North
Africa such as the Maghreb zone (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) and SubSaharan Africa such as Mozambique and Angola, two-former CPLP
countries. Actually, Portuguese foreign policy focuses on the regions that
have been under influenced of Portugal during modern and contemporary
times. Countries like India, Mozambique or Brazil that started to
demonstrate developments and high levels in their external policy, can
serve effectively the Portuguese national interests. Furthermore, changing
the politic and economic strategy to new zones could become a valuable
alternative to the Portuguese and somehow to the European and Asian
economic crisis. Turkey is a true example of how important is to establish
contacts with other regions that arent in the European zone such as the
Middle East or Western Africa. Both regions are developing powerful
policies in other to increase the energy resources and their domestic
policy. Basically, to accomplish high levels of economic growth and
develop programs of sustainability with the aim of decrease their
independence of the potential powers. In Europe, only the United Kingdom
and France remained as dominant potencies. However, both are not up to
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compete with international powers such as the United States or Russia.

Turkey is viewed as a new non-European potency by their straight relation
with Middle East countries, Balkan nations and also with Central and
Southeast Asia, especially with Caucasus. Portugal and Turkey they have
the ability to formalize relations with different world zones and by
cooperating together they will certainly contribute to reduce the crisis
effect not just in their countries but also in others around the world.

In the worlds politics, the Global and Security policy matters not
only a nation but to every state that it is involved in. Portugal and Turkey
are both members of International organizations such as NATO and both
share the idea of a New European Union that can defend itself and spread
their political and economical policies into the surface. Portugal was one of
the NATO former-members and since the beginning understood that the
issues concerning the Security and Global issues are important to protect
their own interests and preserve the Portuguese domestic policy in the
global context.
Turkey is a member of the U.N Security Council and influent in this
organism because it is one of the Nations most powerful in military
concerns. The relation between both nations had been reciprocal. For one
side, Portugal has been supporting the adhesion of Turkey to European
Union as it happened in the continuity of Turkeys case in E.U on 2007.4
Turkey suggested a place for Portuguese in the 2011-2012 Security
Council. As Paulo Gorjo says, Portugal values Turkey from a multilateral
perspective as both a NATO member and potential EU member. These
mutual relation passes by the reasons mentioned already in the
Introduction part. Portugal has influence in some African countries and
also in some Asian Nations. It is important not to forget the influence that
the Portuguese people had in different zones of the Planet. Angola,
Mozambique, India, East-Timor and Brazil are some of them. The
connections with Portugal stills remains and can serve the Turkish
interests. Also, Turkeys network connection with the Middle East,
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Caucasia and other regions can serve the

Portuguese interests.

Furthermore, both can produce new geopolitics strategies and change the
domestic and foreign policy of their own countries. However, this mutual
relation has other interests such as the counter-terrorism policy against
the jihadist movement led mainly by SS and other terrorist international
organizations and by the Energy Security issues. The Prime-Minister Pedro
Passos Coelho showed the Portuguese interest in cooperating with Turkey
to solve the Syrian problem and the Portuguese leader recognized and
praised the humanitarian aid given by Turkish government to Syrian
refugees.
The geopolitical change has brought a decline of Portuguese
strategy, caused by the European crisis and by the affirmation of the AsiaPacific economic zone. Establishing intensive relations with Asian High
Economical nations is a must for Portugal in the international context. In
order to, Portugal achieve this position in the worlds geopolitics changing,
Turkey support in UN Security Council is essential for collocate Portugal in
a strike position and at the same time to Straighten their relations. In spite
of Turkeys suggestion for Portugal inside the 2015-1016 UN Security
Council bienniums, the Portuguese nation was excluded and Angola,
Malasya, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela were selected as nonpermanent members by the UNSC.7 Turkey, in the posterior years, will
support Portugals entrance in the UN Security Council and the opposite
will be given by Portugal. The bilateral union between both nations means
the satisfaction of the both interests.
Analysing the bilateral partnership between Portugal and Turkey, we
can leave some ideas such as:
1. Portugal and Turkey have some goals to achieve in their foreign
and domestic policy and both knows that establish a relation one-eachother will certainly indoors them to accomplish their objectives;

2. Portugal and Turkey lays in the extremity of the European

continent and both are Mediterranean countries, thus it is essential to
implement new policies in the region by finding common partners.
3. Portugal is a great partner for the acceptance of Turkey as an
official member of EU. The Turkish strategy resides in being supported by
European Union members and to convince the other members that
opposed to the Turkeys membership.
4. Turkey is interested in increase their domestic policy by export to
other regions such as Africa, Latin America and EU. Also, Portugal can
effectively by this partnership to explore new markets and export their
goods in Central Asia, Caucasia and lately in the Middle East.