Turkey’s Navy takes Command of an International Force to Combat Piracy

Turkey’s navy took command on Saturday May 2, 2009 of an international force to combat piracy off the Somalian coast in a move analysts say reflects Ankara’s increased role as a major player in the region, the Egyptian newspaper The National reports.

In a ceremony in Bahrain, US Navy Vice Admiral William Gortney, commander of the Fifth Fleet, turned over the command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 to Turkish Rear Adm Caner Bener.

The handover came less than 24 hours after Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s newly appointed foreign minister, spoke about his country’s role in the Middle East and surrounding areas. “[Turkey] now has a stronger foreign policy vision towards the Middle East, Balkans and the Caucasus region,” he said according to news reports from Turkey that also quoted him saying that Ankara “has to take on the role of an order-instituting country in all these regions”.

Mr Davutoglu, who is credited with being the architect of the country’s increasingly active role in the Middle East, led the Turkish team that shuttled between Israel and Hamas in January as part of international efforts to reach a ceasefire between the two. Analysts say Turkey’s new anti-piracy role reflects Washington’s desire to have it play a bigger role as a strategic ally to broker peace between Arab countries and Israel, and improve US relations with the Muslim world, especially after last month’s visit by President Barack Obama, which was his first visit to a Muslim country following his election.

“The growing Turkish influence helps create a balance of power in the region, especially after the role Turkey played in the Palestinian issue, the improving of its relations with Syria as well as the Gulf states,” said Ibrahim al Rumaihi, the executive director of the Bahrain Institute of Political Development.

He added the Gulf of Aden had witnessed activity by regional powers in part because they want to display their influence and because they want to preserve their national interests. CTF 151 was initially commanded by the US navy, but yesterday’s ceremony made Turkey the second country take control and marked the first time Turkey led a task force within the US Navy 5th Fleet Command area. Pakistan, a close US ally, has also in recent years played a commanding role in the region when in April 2006 it became the first Muslim country to lead coalition maritime forces efforts to combat terrorism. China, Russia, and India have sent their own ships to the region help protect their commercial maritime vessels in the wake of the piracy threat.

The Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, which has been at the centre of international attention following the sharp spike in piracy acts last August, represents a vital maritime waterway for the economies of the countries of the region and the world. “Without the security we help provide, the commerce on which most of the world depends would be at risk,” said Vice Adm Gortney at a ceremony yesterday. “Fishermen would not be able to safely conduct their trade. The oceans of the world would be unsafe for leisure travel and nations who rely on these waters in this region and beyond would be economically jeopardised if commercial lifelines and trade routes are interrupted. “The maritime security operations we conduct help provide this security throughout the region. From security arises stability, which enhances trade, promotes economic activity and increases local and global prosperity”. However, he said the solution to piracy lay in dealing with internal issues in Somalia. CTF 151, which was established in January with the specific tasking of fighting piracy, was based on United Nations Security Council resolutions aimed at deterring, thwarting and preventing piracy.

The group and other forces have encountered 320 pirates with 175 being disarmed and released, 137 disarmed and turned over for prosecution, and eight killed, Vice Adm Gortney said. It had also seized or destroyed 36 pirate vessels, and confiscated 162 small arms, 30 rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), 61 RPG projectiles, 28 ladders, nine GPS devices and 23 cellphones. CTF 151 has naval forces from Singapore, South Korea, Denmark and the UK working with other Nato-member navies. In a brief statement, Rear Adm Bener said that to successfully combat piracy, closer co-ordination between the various naval forces was needed.

Source - Ecoterra Intl, May 4, 2009

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