Turkey is included in NATO’s “core coalition” to combat the Islamic State. Yet as one of the most crucial countries in this coalition, it is also the least willing. As the only country in the alliance in the Middle East, there are factors that make any role it plays a dangerous one.

Fighting the Islamic State could mean helping the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Turkey has strongly condemned, endangering Turkish nationals being held hostage by the Islamic State and most importantly too much of the Turkish population, jeopardizing Turkey’s own domestic security.

Turkey is also concerned about Western proposed weapons support to the Kurdish groups who have displayed the most efficient ground resistance against IS. Ankara does not want these weapons falling into the hands of the PKK, whom they have been fighting a deadly civil war with for decades.

Instead Turkey is looking to boost their controversial energy imports from Iraq’s cash-strapped Kurds to help with the battle. Turkey has continued to import oil from refineries that are currently under IS control, so Turkey may instead be encouraged to rely on the Kurdish region’s oil.

Turkey continues to meet with Western officials on the matter before the core coalition meet again at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week. However, for all its considerations, Turkey will be bringing its hands tied. CCTV’s Natalie Carney reports.

Follow Natalie Carney on Twitter @NatalieCarney77

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