Publication

This paper discusses the political and economic relations between Spain and Turkey. The author argues that the relations are intensifying: two-way trade more than doubled between 2002 and 2008 – excluding the EU, Turkey is Spain's third most important trade partner, also Spanish direct investment in Turkey has grown considerably in the last four years. On the political side, Spain is an active supporter of Turkey's bid to join the EU and the countries' two Prime Ministers co-sponsor the UN-backed 'Alliance of Civilizations', an initiative in the field of preventive diplomacy to defuse tensions between the West and Islam.