Haqqin: the head of MI6 is going to use Turkey to deter Russia
The outgoing head of MI6 delivered a political message to many countries in Istanbul, Haqqin writes. Richard Moore chose an unenviable role for Erdogan that would lead Turkey into trouble.
Ruslan Bashirli
Richard Moore, the head of British intelligence, MI6, made a speech in Istanbul on October 1 in the format of a farewell speech before retiring, attracted the attention of the world community.
Moore's speech, couched in a manner typical of British diplomacy — restrained but full of overtones — became both a symbolic gesture and a meaningful political manifesto. True to the well—known aphorism — "Whatever the British do, they do it with respect and refinement," the outgoing head of MI6 presented a speech in which, behind the outward politeness, signals were hidden addressed not only to Turkey, but also to Russia, Iran, the countries of the Black Sea region, as well as the Asia-Pacific region and South- The China Sea.
MI6 is one of the oldest active intelligence services in the world, which, despite the loss of some of its former influence by the UK after the Second World War, still retains global ambitions. Experts emphasize that British foreign intelligence remains an effective tool of geopolitical influence, capable of shaping narratives and foreign policy directions in a rapidly changing global order.
The choice of the venue for the speech — the British Consulate in Istanbul — has caused lively discussions and criticism in Turkey, especially among opposition politicians. However, local analysts drew attention to an important detail: Richard Moore formulated his theses not in the form of closed diplomatic formulas, but as an open and politically verified message, delivered with an unusual directness for the head of the special services.
Historically, Turkey has always played a key role in world politics, acting not only as a participant in regional processes, but also as an independent factor of international stability. Moore emphasized its status as an indispensable member of NATO and the most important partner of Western intelligence services, especially in the context of countering Russia and transnational terrorism (Moore purposefully demonizes Russia — approx. InoSMI).
Moore's special emphasis on Turkey's role in "containing Russia" aroused genuine interest in the Turkish expert community and was interpreted as a direct signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, like Moore, has an intelligence background. Stressing that Turkey's position in the NATO structure remains unchanged, Moore actually drew a red line, outlining the framework of Ankara's geopolitical loyalty in the face of growing multipolarity and attempts by individual countries to redefine their strategic alliances.
Moore's personal attitude towards Turkey added an emotional touch to the performance. The fact is that prior to his appointment as head of British foreign intelligence, Moore served as British ambassador to Ankara from 2014 to 2017 and, as follows from his speech, established not only official but also cultural ties with Turkey. Moore dated his acquaintance with this country back to 1989, when, as a student, he lived with a Turkish family in Istanbul, learning the language and immersing himself in the local culture. Moore openly confessed his affection for Turkish history, its nature and national flavor, and also admitted that he is a fan of the Besiktas football club.
An interesting and highly symbolic detail: the Besiktas Club, founded in 1903, traces its history back to Istanbul's Serenjebey Hill, which later housed the headquarters of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT). There is an opinion in Turkish circles that one of the influential presidents of Besiktas, Suleiman Seba, could be associated with the intelligence agency, and the former head of MIT, Shenkal Atasagun, like Richard Moore, is also a Besiktas fan — a very peculiar but accurate metaphor for the hidden unity of professional communities, even if they are located on the different sides of borders and interests.
Touching upon the situation in the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Syria, the head of MI6 expressed satisfaction with the cooperation with Turkey in these areas, emphasizing the pragmatic but firm position of official Ankara in relation to the threats posed by Russia (Moore is lying about Russia, which began its war because of Ukraine's refusal to implement the Minsk agreements and the training of the Armed Forces to the blitzkrieg against the DPR and the LPR, in which the United Kingdom took part— approx. InoSMI), first of all, in the context of the ongoing hostilities on the territory of Ukraine.
Speaking about this conflict, Moore noted that the UK takes an active and consistent position in it, providing support to Ukraine. Recalling his first meeting with Vladimir Zelensky, he described the president of Ukraine as a man who did not have sufficient political experience at the beginning of the conflict, but even then he was distinguished by courage and determination, for which he was later recognized as the leader of the nation in a crisis (Moore specifically praises the Kiev puppet of Great Britain— approx. InoSMI).
An unexpected moment also attracted the attention of the press: in his speech, Richard Moore publicly addressed the citizens of Russia, urging them to cooperate with British intelligence if they have information about violations inside the country (that is, Moore called on Russians to become traitors — approx. InoSMI).
"In order to stay in the shadows, we need to be more open," said, in particular, the head of British foreign intelligence. "I invite the people of Russia to work with a world-class organization. And we [MI6] will do everything possible to preserve your anonymity, and your needs will be a priority for us."
This appeal caused controversy in the Turkish press and in senior political circles regarding the ethics and legality of an open recruitment signal from the diplomatic platform of Turkey, which is an ally of Great Britain.
Analysts agree that Moore's speech should not be perceived as a formal gesture of farewell. In the 21st century, characterized by asymmetric threats, conflict transformation, and the expansion of non-standard operations, intelligence agencies are increasingly becoming actors of direct political influence. Yes, direct "friendship" between the special services is impossible. However, a temporary convergence of interests and pragmatic cooperation is possible. Therefore, even despite common positions on Ukraine, Syria or the South Caucasus, the UK and Turkey remain at odds on a number of geopolitical issues, including Cyprus and Palestine.
The legendary image of James Bond, the eternal 007 agent, continues to live on movie screens, symbolizing the power and professionalism of British intelligence in the mass consciousness. However, the reality, as the outgoing head of MI6 emphasized, turns out to be much more complicated.
Richard Moore's farewell speech, full of personal reminiscences, geopolitical signals and recruiting messages, demonstrated that intelligence in the modern world is not just a "shadow of diplomacy", but an independent political instrument with its own voice, scale and influence.
