Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.1
Hakan Fidan
{"title":"Turkish Foreign Policy Vision","authors":"Hakan Fidan","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.1","url":null,"abstract":"Türkiye is embarking on the ‘Century of Türkiye’ at a time of rapidly changing geopolitical dynamics coupled with ever-increasing global challenges, culminating in a complex era defined by multiple crises. Against this background, Türkiye stands out as a regional constructive and system-transformer actor seeking to contribute to a more inclusive and effective international system capable of addressing current global and regional challenges. Türkiye will continue to secure its national interests in a volatile regional and global environment, while shaping conditions for sustainable peace and development in its neighborhood and beyond. It will work towards institutionalizing its foreign relations on a structural basis, developing an environment of prosperity and advancing its global goals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be the powerhouse in all these efforts, building upon its centuries-long tradition and going through an organizational transformation to ensure the swift and full implementation of the vision of the Century of Türkiye.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"51 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136247917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.13
Kıvanç Ulusoy, Pınar Atakara
{"title":"The Cyprus Conflict: A Case for ‘Joint Decision Trap’","authors":"Kıvanç Ulusoy, Pınar Atakara","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.13","url":null,"abstract":"This paper is about the current stage of the Cyprus conflict in the context of the recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. The energy discoveries could have been a catalyst for a solution, but the opposite occurred. The Greek Cypriot administration aimed to expand its regional ‘allies’ through maritime delimitation agreements. Meanwhile, Türkiye has continued its exploratory drilling. The trajectory that the Cyprus conflict followed after the Greek Cypriot administration’s EU membership in 2004 is a case of a ‘joint decision trap.’ The EU’s paralysis towards the conflict has pushed Türkiye, once proactive to resolve it with the expectation of becoming an EU member, to slide back to its traditional hard power strategy.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"138 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.12
Mehmet Öztürk, Melih Duman
{"title":"A Founding Role in Türkiye’s Africa Policy: Action Plan for Opening to Africa","authors":"Mehmet Öztürk, Melih Duman","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.12","url":null,"abstract":"In direct proportion to the development of Türkiye’s relations with Africa, the number of studies on bilateral relations is also increasing. However, the Action Plan for Opening to Africa, which was prepared in 1998, is a milestone in Türkiye’s relations with Africa and has not been examined specifically and in-depth. This study aims to examine all aspects of the Action Plan for Opening to Africa, which plays a founding role in Türkiye’s Africa policy. In this context, the focus is on the content of the plan, the internal and external developments that brought it about, and the role of foreign policymakers who put these developments through the filter of their perception. To guide the analysis of these issues focused on in the study, role theory and documentary source screening based on Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources were used to examine the Action Plan. As a result of the study, it has been observed that the systemic conditions affecting Turkish foreign policy after the Cold War and the Action Plan put forward as a visionary foreign policy step by İsmail Cem, who served as the foreign minister, especially under the conditions of coalition governments, played a founding role in Türkiye’s relations with the continent.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.6
Muhittin Ataman
{"title":"The Century of Türkiye: A New Foreign Policy Vision for Building the Türkiye Axis","authors":"Muhittin Ataman","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.6","url":null,"abstract":"On the centenary of the Turkish Republic, President Erdoğan, who has been ruling Türkiye for the last two decades, has announced a new perspective on foreign policy for Türkiye’s second century. He has named the long-term foreign policy vision as the ‘Century of Türkiye’ and declared his determination for building a ‘Türkiye Axis.’ After a fierce struggle against both domestic and international tutelage, President Erdoğan has succeeded to attain autonomy in Turkish foreign policy. Ankara has built a powerful economy and increased its military capacity at the national level. Also, it has improved its relations with both Turkic and Muslim countries and begun to take initiatives and to play a leadership role at the regional level. Furthermore, Türkiye has diversified its relations with other actor and elevated its status at the global level. Within this perspective, it has begun to contribute to resolving global challenges and to play an influential role in international organizations. This article will provide a comprehensive analysis of the evolving foreign policy of Türkiye in recent years. It will delve deep into the shifts and transformations that have taken place and explore the underlying principles and objectives that define Türkiye’s new foreign policy vision, the Century of Türkiye.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"110 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.8
Murat Yeşiltaş, Serkan Balkan
{"title":"From Geopolitical Anxiety to Assertive Stance: The Historical Construction and Transformation of Turkish Naval Strategy","authors":"Murat Yeşiltaş, Serkan Balkan","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.8","url":null,"abstract":"This article traces the evolution of Türkiye’s naval strategy from a defensive coastal-based concept to an assertive one within a broader geopolitical perspective. The shift began during the Cyprus crisis of the 1960s and was made possible by the Navy’s desire to return to the seas. The “Toward Open Seas” strategy of the 1990s and the development of the Turkish defense industry in the 2000s under the AK Party government further enabled this shift. By 2015, the Navy had become more active and was mobilized under a comprehensive strategic reorientation, reflecting its expanded role beyond coastal defense. It examines the various contextual factors that have influenced the transformation of Türkiye’s naval forces, including the intra-institutional context under the Turkish Armed Forces, the discursive context regarding dominant geopolitical narratives, and the geostrategic context concerning the operationalization of Turkish naval strategy. The article’s main aim is to contribute to the existing literature on Türkiye’s naval strategy by drawing on primary sources that have not yet been fully examined.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.2
Klaus Jurgens
{"title":"Re-defining Türkiye's International Relations - 2 Decades of 360 ° Foreign Policies","authors":"Klaus Jurgens","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.2","url":null,"abstract":"Analyzing modern Türkiye’s foreign policy is the perfect case study of how, over time, a nation-state can completely restructure its approach to engaging with the outside world. Yet this analysis does not aim to propose an extended or complete listing of individual countries’ relations; on the contrary, it basically tries to suggest what was the catalyst when measurable change occurred for the first time. In brief, Türkiye progressed from promoting splendid isolation during the past millennium to becoming a fully integrated and often trend-setting international actor in just over two decades. Hence, determining the actual catalyst for change, which according to the author is not just an election victory but also a much more profound paradigm shift in elected officials’ attitudes towards the wider world, is this contribution’s major aim. After discussing the analytical differences between international relations on the one hand and foreign policies on the other and focusing on the electorate as a key contributor and beneficiary of and from proactive foreign policies, the piece proposes a number of key examples to come up with a tangible way to measure foreign policy success. At the same time, the question is put forward in which context there might be even more to expect from Ankara and its constant desire to further expand on an already impressively positive global image. Whether or not foreign policies are an integral part of Türkiye’s 100-year strategy and thus become a focus of Türkiye the Brand serves as the concluding reflection.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"129 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.7
Hasan Yükselen
{"title":"The Century of Türkiye as a Strategic Discourse","authors":"Hasan Yükselen","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.7","url":null,"abstract":"The ‘Century of Türkiye’ has been introduced as the new discourse of strategy in Turkish foreign policy with the centennial of the Republic of Türkiye. In this respect, this article explores which factors determined the emergence of the discourse, how the agency has perceived the shifts in structure, how Türkiye has positioned itself concerning shifts in the international political system, global economy, and geography, the perils and promises of determined strategy, and what the discourse entails. It is argued that the new strategy is articulated as a vision-oriented strategy and constitutes a continuity in the preceding century in the country’s quest for greater autonomy. The article points out factors that could cause incongruence between what is intended with the articulated strategy, what is spoken through discourse, and what is actualized at the end.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277324","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.11
Magdalena Kumelska-Koniecko, Ewa Czarkowska
{"title":"Iran-Russia-Türkiye Triangle: A Challenge for the U.S. Position in the Middle East","authors":"Magdalena Kumelska-Koniecko, Ewa Czarkowska","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.11","url":null,"abstract":"The American-centric world order that was shaped after the end of the Cold War is being questioned by dynamically growing “old” and “new” centers of power, namely Russia and China. Entities united in opposition to American hegemony pursue policies that challenge not only the U.S. position but more importantly American interests. This process has been especially visible in the wake of the civil war in Syria. This article aims to analyze the U.S. Middle East strategy in the context of the ongoing redistribution of power in the region, influenced by the Iran-Russia-Türkiye triangle. It claims that Syria’s civil war stimulated the formation of this triangle and significantly influenced the further evolution of the balance of power in the region, posing both a direct challenge and an indirect threat to the American position and its interests in the Middle East. The article argues for the necessity of correcting the American Middle East strategy, as the one implemented so far opened the door to other powers to compete for influence in the Middle East.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"140 5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.5
Alessia Chiriatti
{"title":"Italian-Turkish Relations Before and after the War in Ukraine: From NATO Membership to Food Diplomacy?","authors":"Alessia Chiriatti","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.5","url":null,"abstract":"This paper explores Italy-Türkiye relations and food diplomacy’s role in shaping international relations, drawing parallels between Harry S. Truman’s 1951 decision to provide emergency grain aid to India and current global diplomacy, especially amid the Ukraine crisis. Truman’s choice, driven by humanitarian concerns and India’s significance during the early Cold War, is examined. The article also explores how Türkiye employs food diplomacy, exemplified by the Black Sea Grain Initiative, to bolster its regional and global influence. It delves into complex Italian-Turkish relations amid the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing NATO membership and food diplomacy’s role in shaping their future ties.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Insight TurkeyPub Date : 2023-09-30DOI: 10.25253/99.2023253.14
Murat Çemrek
{"title":"Turkish Foreign Policy in the Centennial Republican Anniversary: Quo Vadis?","authors":"Murat Çemrek","doi":"10.25253/99.2023253.14","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2023253.14","url":null,"abstract":"The Republic of Türkiye is proudly celebrating its centennial anniversary as a nation erected on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, which had reigned for six centuries until it was wrecked by the First World War. Since the end of the Cold War, Türkiye has been incrementally attracting more and more attention in world politics compared to any previous era. The more Türkiye is under the spotlight, the more it increases its activist foreign policy, becoming routine under the AK Party led by Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Thus, Turkish foreign policy (TFP), in return has also attracted substantial scholarly work not only from the national International Relations students and scholars but also from foreign policy analysts both in Türkiye and abroad.","PeriodicalId":44871,"journal":{"name":"Insight Turkey","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136277330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}