Turkish PM makes demands, but is anyone listening?

While he was in London on Jan. 18 for talks with his British counterpart David Cameron, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu also fielded questions from the British press on the Syrian Crisis.

His answers came at a time when everyone is waiting to see if the all-party talks in Geneva aimed at ending this crisis can be held next week. 

Two things he said stood out. 

The first was his remark that "No country has more to say on these peace talks than Turkey because 2.5 million Syrians are in Turkey." The second was his remark that the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) cannot take part in these talks because it is acting together with the Syrian regime.

Seeing the forceful manner in which he expressed these two "demands," one might believe that Turkey is in a positon to have influence, even a strong influence, over these talks.

Turkey is, of course, a major country that should be playing a major role in regional issues. However, the serial mistakes and miscalculations with regard to the Syrian crisis by the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) has left it with hardly any influence at all. 

Davuto?lu is also the key architect of Ankara's failed Syrian policy, which has been predicated solely on seeing the demise of Bashar al-Assad and his regime but has failed to factor in realities unfolding on the ground.

Meanwhile, Turkey has also angered or alienated most major international players involved in the crisis. Firstly, Russia and Iran will clearly try to ensure that Turkey has a minimal role to play in the Syrian talks. Both countries continue to insist on the al-Assad regime taking part in the talks, regardless of what Ankara may think. 

But Turkey is not on the same page with regard to...