Newsweek: "Turkey is well on its way to joining the BRİC ranks"

Although its gross domestic product is only half of Russia's, the poorest nation among the Brazil, Russia, India and China quartet, Turkey is well on its way to joining the group of developing powerhouses, according to a story in Newsweek international magazine last week. Saying that Turkey wants to "box above its weight" internationally, the article, entitled "Turkey's Big Ambitions," quoted President Abdullah Gul's remarks in London last week that it would be no surprise "if we start talking about BRIC plus T," for Turkey. "At the same time that Turkey is making itself attractive to Europe," the article continued, "it has been busy reaching out to Iran, laying the groundwork for new negotiations aimed at defusing Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West. Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki seems keen to revive talks with the US, Europe, Russia, and China: last week he proposed moving the venue for talks from Vienna to Ankara. Now, with the EU mired in debt and the US beset by domestic political woes, Iran may be increasingly confident in standing up to the West, which makes Turkey even more indispensable as a go-between. Turkey might not be a BRIC yet, but it's well on its way."