Azerbaijan, Baku, April 6 / Trend, A. Taghiyeva /
The events in the Middle East, particularly the revolt against the Bahraini Shiites against Sunni rule, and the Sunnis' dissatisfaction with the ruling Alawi regime in Syria, indicate that a strong religious conflict is expected between the Shiites and Sunnis in the
region, former Turkish intelligence analyst Mahir Kaynak believes.
"The unstable situation in Arab countries will eventually lead to a religious conflict between the two largest currents of Islam," Kaynak told Trend over the phone from Istanbul.
He said Turkey's position in this matter is neutral, and Ankara prefers not to intervene in the conflict Kaynak believes that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
visit to Iraq, where he visited a Shiite shrine, and his sound relations with Saudi Arabia, prove that Ankara is not interfering in the religious conflict and remains neutral.
Last week, the PM paid an official visit to Iraq.
During meetings with the country's leadership, he discussed the future relations between the two countries.
Erdogan also met with Ayatollah Ali Sistane in Al-Najaf.
The Ayatollah asked him to help end the civil confrontation and the killing of civilians in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday to hold talks with Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa to resolve the crisis in the country.
During the visit, Davutoglu plans to hold meetings with Bahraini senior officials and party representatives.
Kaynak said despite Turkey's neutral position in the religious conflict between Arab countries, there is no question that "some forces" will try to pull Turkey into the dispute.