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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 |
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Vol. 10 No.3 2008
An Insightful Reference for Turkish Politics & International Affairs
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Turkish-Armenian Relations: Will Football Diplomacy Work?
Bülent ARAS & Fatih ÖZBAY
September 2008
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The Georgian-Russian crisis, the political and economic alienation of Armenia in the Caucasus, Turkey’s new project to establish the Caucasus Stability Platform, and the Turkish and Armenian administrations’ willingness to normalize relations have created a suitable atmosphere in which to put an end to the problems between Turkey and Armenia. Turkish President Abdullah Gul accepted the invitation of his counterpart, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian, to watch the World Cup-qualifying football match between Turkey and Armenia in Yerevan. Read More
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Dr. İbrahim KALIN
Today's Zaman - 06.11.2008
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The most exciting and closely watched US election in recent memory concluded with a decisive victory for Barack Obama. Not only Obama supporters in the US, but also a good part of the world's population have taken a big sigh of relief. This is only to be expected given the enormous implications of what Obama will bring to the table for the US and the world. In his acceptance speech, Obama pointed out two things: the American people have said "no" to the status quo and that they are "slamming the door on the country's racial past." Obama's presidency will be watched closely on both counts...
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Dr. İbrahim KALIN
Today's Zaman - 30.10.2008
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Less than one week ahead of the US presidential election, Turkish-US relations and Turkey's role in its neighboring regions were the subject of a one-day conference organized by the SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research and the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. The keynote address was delivered by Ahmet Davutoğlu, the chief foreign policy advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Other speakers included Cengiz Çandar, Ian Lesser, Suat Kınıklıoğlu, Kemal Kirişçi, Steven Cook, Taha Özhan, Mustafa Akyol, Ömer Taşpınar and Bulent Ali Riza. The day-long panel discussion was attended by over 150 academics, journalists, people from Washington policy circles and government agencies and others...
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A Brookings - SETA Policy Conference on Turkey
University of California Washington Center, 1608 Rhode Island Avenue, NW / October 28, 2008
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The Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings will host a joint conference with the SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research on October 28 at the University of California Washington Center. The conference will commence with a keynote address by Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, chief foreign policy advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey. An audience question and answer session will follow his remarks. Afterwards, Ibrahim Kalin, Omer Taspinar, Mark Parris, and Talha Kose will individually moderate a series of discussions with some of Turkey's most influential and astute analysts.
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Sami MOUBAYED
Policy Brief No.25, October 2008
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The rise to power of Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan marks a new era in positive Turkish-Syrian relations. The new Syrian attitude towards Turkey represents a break from past: Syria considers Turkey a reliable partner for brokering a peace deal between Syria and Israel, and Turkey offers opportunities for political and economic cooperation for improving the welfare and security of two countries. The Syrian administration considers Turkey’s partnership to be a key factor in its attempts to achieve integration into the international community, a solution of the problems with Israel, and the securing of territorial unity in Iraq.
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Commentary
Dr. İbrahim KALIN - Today's Zaman - 11.09.2008
BBC covered the story as a "landmark visit to Armenia." CNN called it "football diplomacy." French President Nicolas Sarkozy applauded the visit as "courageous and historic." Back home, President Abdullah Gül was criticized for going too soft on the Armenian issue. No matter how one describes it, Gül's visit to Yerevan last week, the first of its kind, could be the beginning of a new era in Turkish-Armenian relations. The Russian-Georgian war once more revealed the fragile nature of the Caucasus region. While the Western bloc and Russia battle over their spheres of influence in the world system, Turkish-Armenian relations have become critical again... | |  |
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Commentary
Dr. İbrahim KALIN - Today's Zaman - 04.09.2008
 | | Speaking to Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated that Turkey is being forced to take sides in the Georgian conflict. "Some are trying to push us toward the US and some toward Russia," said the prime minister. Underlining Turkey's strong alliance with the US but also acknowledging Turkey's expanding relations with Russia, Erdoğan said he "will not allow Turkey to be pushed to one side or the other. We will act in accordance with Turkey's national interests." Given Turkey's increasing trade volume with Russia and its energy dependency, Erdoğan added: "Turkey will observe a balance in tandem with its interests... |
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Commentary
Dr. İbrahim KALIN - Today's Zaman - 28.08.2008
 | "A momentous day." This is how Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described the decision by the Russian parliament to recognize the independence claims of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Speaking to the BBC, Medvedev added that Russia does not want a cold war with the West because "there are no winners" in such a war. While the Russian president may not like the talk of a cold war, Russia is gearing up for a major confrontation with the West. Aggression is the word used by many European and American officials, including British Foreign Minister David Miliband, to describe the current Russian policy in the Caucasus... |
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Policy Brief
Nasuhi GÜNGÖR - September 2008
This article considers the August 2008 visit to Turkey by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, and analyzes relations between Turkey and Iran in general. The tensions and crises that followed the 1979 Iranian Revolution are briefly presented in order to provide a better understanding of the present state of relations. Then we draw a picture of the situation after the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002, bringing widespread changes to Turkish foreign policy. We also call attention to Turkey’s changing role in the regional balance of power, and to the significance ... |
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Policy Brief
Mehmet ÖZKAN - September 2008
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| There has been a revival in Turkey’s relation with Africa after 1998. Initially this revival came as a passive attempt, but after 2005 it became an offensive interest in developing relations with the continent. The recent Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit marks the latest stage in Turkey’s keen interest in developing relations with Africa, and should be seen as a turning point if it is followed with concrete projects in political and economic fields. The key challenge, however, ... |
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Policy Brief
Nuh YILMAZ - September 2008
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| Joe Biden was selected as Barack Obama’s vice presidential candidate largely because of his expertise in foreign policy. Traditionally, in U.S. politics, Dick Cheney-like strong vice presidents are exception, not the rule. It is wiser to focus on Obama’s foreign policy outlook rather than Biden’s, which would benefit Turkey in the long run with its realistic tendencies. Biden’s voting pattern, as it is displayed in three different issues does not seem friendly to the Turkish position... |
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