Abdulrahman al-Rashed explains in his latest article in Asharq Al-Awsat the different analyses that were given following Turkish prime minister’s promise to grant citizenship to Syrian refugees, explaining that such a decision is difficult to judge before it is implemented.
“If the plan is real and not just a propaganda, it is a smart and practical move that will benefit Turkey’s economy, even though it may cause political problems,” the writer argues.
However, the writer does not believe that the proposed number will alter Turkey’s electoral balance and that this will not directly benefit Erdogan politically due to long bureaucratic procedures in official Turkish institutions.
The writer gives the US as an example of a country which benefited highly from its migrants and saw an economic boost in their cheap labor.
“Absorbing hundreds of thousands of refugees may ease their plight, but it will not end the tragedy that the Syrian people are going through,” the writer argues.
The writer explains that “what is happening in Syria is a power struggle, and it will end one day,” hinting that its people will be able to return to it once the conflict is over.
Abdulrahman al-Rashed in Asharq Al-Awsat
