Abstract:

This article addresses the role of energy and security related factors in Turkey-Iraq relations from a comparative historical perspective. Taking the growing energy-centered interdependence between the two actors as a point of departure, the article evaluates the role of mutual energy interests in bilateral political relations. Three factors are underlined as variables that that mediate the political impact of energy interests: domestic political shifts in both actors, mutual threat perceptions and regional geopolitical factors. The primary finding of the research is that even though energy has become a visibly critical component of Turkey-Iraq relations recently, energy cooperation is essentially an instrument and facilitator of security policies which are primarily shaped by political and geopolitical imperatives.

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