Author Archives: Ali Tuygan

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About Ali Tuygan

Ali Tuygan is a graduate of the Faculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 1967. Between various positions in Ankara, he served at the Turkish Embassy in Brussels, NATO International Staff, Turkish Embassies in Washington and Baghdad, and the Turkish Delegation to NATO. From 1986 to 1989 he was the Principal Private Secretary to the President of the Republic. He then served as ambassador to Ottawa, Riyadh, and Athens. In 1997 he was honored with a decoration by the Italian President. Between these assignments abroad he served twice as Deputy Undersecretary for Political Affairs. In 2004 he was appointed Undersecretary where he remained until the end of 2006 before going to his last foreign assignment as Ambassador to UNESCO. He retired in 2009. In April 2013 he published a book entitled “Gönüllü Diplomat, Dışişlerinde Kırk Yıl” (“Diplomat by Choice, Forty Years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”) in which he elaborated on the diplomatic profession and the main issues on the global agenda. He has published articles in Turkish periodicals and newspapers.

The Myth of the Rules-Based Order

February 9, 2026 Only a few years ago, the “rules-based international order” was the northern star of American foreign policy, a recurrent theme in policy statements by senior officials of the Biden administration. In an interview with  Andrea Mitchell of … Continue reading

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Trump’s Board of Peace

February 2, 2026 On September 29, 2025, the White House announced President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.[i] The first phase of the ceasefire came into effect on October 10. On November 17, 2025, the UN Security Council … Continue reading

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Syria Struggling for Peace and Stability

January 26, 2026 The US-Israel-led Western project to remake the Middle East started with the invasion of Iraq and continued with the regime change project in  Libya, followed by Syria. In December 2024, the HTS seized the capital Damascus unopposed … Continue reading

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What if the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) Had Survived?

January 19, 2026 The anti-regime protests in Iran were the top development of global attention over the past weeks. In the background was the nature of the Iranian regime, its controversial and confrontational regional outreach, which, to a large extent, … Continue reading

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The Genie Out of the Bottle?

January 12, 2026 The abduction of President Maduro and his being brought, handcuffed, to New York shocked the world. Yet President Trump’s press conference about Operation Absolute Resolve, American military might, and plans for Venezuelan oil was an even greater … Continue reading

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Peace in the Middle East?

January 7, 2026 With the US attack on Venezuela, Gaza and Ukraine have moved down the global agenda. Previously, there was a seesaw relationship between the two. When violence or “peace efforts” in one attracted attention, the other faded into … Continue reading

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Another Regime Change Project

January 5, 2026 Saturday’s attack on Venezuela, the abduction of President Maduro, and his being brought, handcuffed, to New York was a shock to the world. This was a brazen violation of international law. Moreover, President Trump’s press conference about  … Continue reading

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Ukraine’s Options Narrowing Down

December 22, 2025 Last Friday, European Union leaders, after having failed to reach a consensus on using frozen Russian assets, decided to provide Ukraine with a 90-billion-euro loan over the next two years. “We committed, we delivered,” said European Council … Continue reading

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2025: A Year of Disappointments                

December 15, 2025 In two weeks, the year 2025 will be behind us. The end of a year is a moment of reflection on the achievements, disappointments, and failures of the past twelve months and whether different paths could have … Continue reading

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Yearnings for Türkiye’s Ottoman Past

December 8, 2025 In recent years, Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has increasingly lauded the country’s Ottoman past while being more reserved about its Republican achievements. Yes, AKP leaders visit the Atatürk Mausoleum every year to pay their … Continue reading

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