Erkan's post on the article titled Turkey in Transition was interesting.

Surrounded by 13 of the 18 conflict zones in the world, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, centrally placed on the energy route to Europe, the future of Turkey is bound to impact the future of the world.

Strategic Foresight Group was invited to Turkey in February 2005 for consultations with the government for our Sustainable Global Security Initiative. We were fortunate to meet a wide range of leaders and scholars, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was one of the first leaders we met.

While the extreme right neo-nazis of Europe and other political beings often have educations, they don't seem to be able to think through the ramifications of excluding Turkey from European politics.

The article ends with this: Turkey is facing an uncertain future on a number of counts. Will terror attacks increase? Or will it be able to bring development to its Eastern region in a manner that reduces the present inequalities? Will it be able to join the EU and become the bridge between the Islamic world and Europe?

Turkey is truly in transition. And the manner of its transition will determine the future of a vast part of the world.

Ilmas Futehally is Executive Director and Vice President of the Strategic Foresight Group , a think tank that helps policy makers to anticipate and shape, the future in uncertain times.

It produces fresh perspectives, by combining research with policy change and conflict-resolution initiatives. SFG brings out confidential and public research reports. Its in-depth scenarios in the context of the war in Iraq, instability in Central Asia, religious extremism in Pakistan and India’s economy has earned SFG, a reputation for correct projections.