AKP leaders are taking a risk by this all-track diplomacy. They might win big or lose big.
They have many in their cadres which could trigger this shift from traditional Turkish foreign policy and there have been signs of it already. Now, they are relieved of the closure ban and they are pushing for it.
After the visit of Iran’s leader, now there comes the mini African Summit and a notarious African leader, Bashir comes to Turkey second time in less than a year. As part of a grand plan, these risky visits might work but they are just too risky. The plan is to create independent good, powerful and profitable relations with neigbours. The plan is very innovative. After the 2nd WW, traditional Turkish foreign policy depended on its geostrategic importance for US. This symbolically ended in the first Gulf War where Turkey lost great and it became one of the sources of economic crisis in 2001. Major reliance on EU process in recent years also ended when AKP could not get enough of the process. Since 2004, AKP lost its belief in EU in general. I don’t think this means hostile thinking against EU or US. Although ideologues of the new FP attempt might be uneasy with them, their main goal seems to make Turkey a more equal partner in relations with EU or US.
However, even for those who try to be more neutral to AKP, there is the problem of substance. Is there any substance in possible relations with the new ‘allies’? Like it or not, TR has been part of the Western system since 2WW. Political, cultural, economic relations all depended on this system although they were never satisfying. Can there be sustainable relations with others? Particularly when some of the others are subject to systemic hostility?
The ideologues of the AKP Foreign Policy (first person to come to my mind is Prof. Ahmet Davutoğlu, is known to have Neo-Ottoman tendencies. However, he and others seem to be realistic, too.
A new art of ‘all-track’ diplomacy
Relieved by a Constitutional Court ruling against a ban that helped it avert a political crisis, it was natural for the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, to expect a few days of relaxation.
The Associated Press: Turkey’s Gul urges Sudan leader to end suffering
Sudan’s Bashir on visit to Turkey
Sudan’s president makes his first foreign trip since he was indicted on genocide charges by the International Criminal Court.
Time for Turkey to manipulate events skillfully
The recent conflict in Georgia — right at Turkey’s doorstep — has once again demonstrated how difficult it is to maintain peace in the region and has threatened several projects intended to create prosperity and economic interdependency among countries in the region.
All eyes on Sudan’s Bashir during summit
An eagerly awaited Turkish-African summit has been overshadowed by the presence of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, in his first trip abroad since an international court indicted him for
Turkey takes major step to strenghten ties with Africa
Until elections for a U.N. Security Council non-permanent seat are held in October, whatever Turkey does in the name of expanding its multinational cooperation network in remote
[EXPERTS ANALYZE CAUCASUS PLATFORM] What is Caucasian stability and cooperation? What can Turkey do in the Caucasus?
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 11 said that Ankara may launch an initiative for the formation of a "Caucasus Alliance," following the Balkan model, adding that the Russian Federation should be part of it.
Turkey bows to the dark side – Los Angeles Times
What if Turkey were left without allies?
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO was, to a large extent, left without a "mission." NATO member countries need a "joint enemy" for the organization to stand erect under existing conditions.
Our biggest neighbor Iran
İLTER TÜRKMEN
The merit of Ahmadinejad’s visit
Barçin YİNANÇ
[EXPERTS ANALYZE CAUCASUS PLATFORM] Turkey’s ‘Caucasus Alliance’ proposal: How likely is its success? (1) by GÜNER ÖZKAN
Amid desperate EU attempts and increasingly tough words from the US to Moscow for an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of Russian forces in the war between Russia and Georgia, Turkey has suggested the establishment of the "Caucasus Alliance."
[EXPERTS ANALYZE CAUCASUS PLATFORM] What is Caucasian stability and cooperation? What can Turkey do in the Caucasus? by HASAN KANBOLAT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 11 said that Ankara may launch an initiative for the formation of a "Caucasus Alliance," following the Balkan model, adding that the Russian Federation should be part of it.
Will Gül pay a visit to Armenia?
Murat Yetkin
Gül: Turkey critical in new world order
President Abdullah Gül predicted a new multipolar world would emerge from the wreckage of war, in an interview published in Britain on Saturday. He asserted that the conflict in Georgia showed that
Turkey can help solving the nuclear crisis with Iran
Guardian Turkey pulls out of Iranian gas deal US pressure on Istanbul leads to humiliating snub for Iran on lucrative energy deal
Bianet :: Aktar Says Turkey Could Work With The EU In The Georgian Conflict
Armenia lifts Turkish visas for football match
While it is still unclear whether Turkish President Abdullah Gül will accept his Armenian counterpart’s invitation to watch a football game together in Yerevan, Armenia has decided on Thursday to
Ahmadinejad behind the doors
Before the press meeting, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a closed meeting with press and think tank representatives. Attendees of the meeting asserted that the Iranian leader was
Ahmadinejad’s foray to Turkey by ALON BEN-MEIR
It is quite understandable that Israel would be deeply disappointed by Turkey’s decision to invite Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for an official visit this week.
Limits of relations with Iran
Comments made about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent visit to Turkey converge on the argument that this visit has opened a new page in relations between the two countries.
Turkey’s concerns over Iran
As an İstanbulite, I must confess that the visit from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made life terrible here for two days. Most of the main roads were closed to normal traffic so as to ensure a secure and comfortable visit for the leader of our noisiest, most energy-rich neighbor.
Pros and cons of a visit to Yerevan
It seems that the big question will remain to be answered to the very end. Will President Abdullah Gül say yes to the invitation to Yerevan by his counterpart in Armenia, Serzh Sarksyan?
An attempt to un
derstand the Iran issue
When I sat down to write this article, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had not yet arrived in İstanbul. Diplomatic efforts exerted by the 5+1 group to coax Iran into abandoning its drive to develop nuclear weapons have all proven unsuccessful, which does not leave much room for hope that Turkey’s initiative will bring a miraculous solution to the issue.
Turkey and Iran: two neighbors with different messages
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in İstanbul for a two-day visit. Turkey and Iran have been getting stronger in the region after the US occupation of Iraq without hostilities arising between them.
New model for Turkey
A bill drafted by Edibe Sözen, the deputy chairwoman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), for the protection of young people has created much controversy. As usual, the "big reactions" came from radical secular circles. The bill was actually prepared with inspiration from Germany, an EU member country, and intended to protect Turkey’s youth against various destructive elements, including pornography.
Will Gül go to Armenia?
Will President Abdullah Gül accept Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan’s invitation to watch a soccer match between the Turkish and Armenian national teams together on Sept. 6 in Yerevan?
Iranians living in Turkey pleased with Ahmadinejad’s visit
As heated debates over Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Turkey continue in both Turkish and foreign press, Iranian people see only good news in the visit, according to one
Erdoğan on promotion tour for Caucasus idea
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has embarked on a tour of talks with regional leaders to sell a plan to establish a full-fledged mechanism for stability in the Caucasus. “I have a
Ahmadinejad says Turkey engaged in ‘friendly effort’
Turkey’s efforts on Tehran’s contested nuclear program were defined as a “friendly effort,” rather than mediation, by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during an interview before departing
Relax, the Ahmadinejat storm is over
Relax… Relax… Millions of Istanbulites, relax… The Ahmadinejad storm is over.Yes, both on arrival and departure, as well as during his short trip in the city, millions of Istanbulites were tortured for many hours on roads closed to traffic for “security” reasons. But, the disaster is over, the storm has ended… and, Ahmadinejad is very sorry that Turkey took such excessive security measures for his visit. “I am not in charge here… In Iran, I would not allow that to happen…” the Iranian leader said, apologizing to Istanbulites for the trouble they suffered because of the extensive security measures and thus demonstrating that, at least in words, he cared far
Transiting through Turkey | A tragic crossroads | Economist.com
Turkey and the IMF to decide on future relationship
Should Turkey conclude a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), following the expiration of the last stand-by arrangement (SBA) in May, in order to provide an external anchor for the country’s macroeconomic stability and minimize its vulnerability to external shocks?
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