Turkey is helping to stabilize the region. As part of its quest for EU accession, Turkey has been forging positive ties with its neighbors. Turkey has increased its trade with Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Syria, and Greece, where Prime Minister Erdogan and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis have developed a close personal friendship. Turkey and Armenia are finally starting to talk about normalizing their relations. And because of its ethnic, linguistic and religious ties with every country in Central Asia, Turkey is a natural partner for investment in energy projects and other businesses.