Erdogan Floats Turkey Joining China-Russia Security Bloc

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that NATO member Turkey would consider taking its relationship with the China- and Russia-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to a higher level — up to full membership.

"Turkey's prospect of (full) membership to the organization does not imply a breakaway from any other bloc or from the West," Erdogan said, according to a transcript of remarks he made to journalists on his return flight from Kyrgyzstan, shared by his office.

Erdogan had attended the SCO summit in Bishkek on Tuesday. Turkey is currently a "dialog partner" of the bloc, not a member.

What Full Membership Would Mean

Turkey is a member of NATO and, by Erdogan's own account, would be moving from dialog partner to full member of a security bloc led by Russia and China — the two powers NATO exists to deter.

Erdogan framed the step as additive rather than a choice between camps, saying explicitly that it would not mean breaking from the West or from any other bloc. Beyond that, neither of the two sources reporting his remarks spells out what obligations full SCO membership would carry for a NATO ally.

The Black Sea Push

Erdogan also said Wednesday that a mechanism is needed to permanently guarantee the safety of commercial maritime transport in the Black Sea before a grain crisis escalates. He said the crisis has resurfaced, particularly in Africa.

"The safety of all civilian maritime transportation in the Black Sea is important to us. The fighting between parties should not escalate to a point where it undermines the safety of civilians and commercial life," he said. "We need to resolve this issue."

Earlier this week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey had prepared a plan for the safe passage of grain via the Black Sea and was in contact with both Russia and Ukraine about it.