Erdogan’s Arab Spring tour stops in Libya

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will continue what has been dubbed his ‘Arab Spring’ tour when he arrives in Libya later on Friday.

Erdogan has been keen to assert Turkey’s growing influence in the region after visiting Egypt and Tunisia.

Ihsan Dagi, a professor of international relations at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, said: “Turkey has managed to combine Islam with democracy and a market economy. The interest in his visit must be analysed in the right way.”

“Erdogan’s popularity has nothing to do with his current policies towards Israel. It is rather to do with Turkey’s economic and democratic performance.”

The Turkish premier will meet with NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil in Tripoli and is expected to give a speech in the city’s Martyrs Square.