Author Archives: Ali Tuygan

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.

Wars and War Crimes

June 5, 2023 It has been a year and a half since Russia invaded Ukraine. Despite the havoc it has caused and the widespread resentment with its global impact, like many other wars, the world is getting used to living … Continue reading

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Türkiye Chooses Authoritarian Rule Over Democracy

May 29, 2023 The title of my last post on Türkiye was “An Election to Determine Türkiye’s Identity and Future”. And these were my concluding remarks: “Pablo Neruda once said, “You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep … Continue reading

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Strategic Competition vs. Ending the War in Ukraine

May 22, 2023 Soon after the Russian onslaught against Ukraine, most observers agreed that the conflict would gradually become a protracted war. In other words, the fighting would lose intensity, and perhaps ceasefires would be declared, only to be followed … Continue reading

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President Assad’s Syria Back in the Arab League

May 8, 2023 Yesterday, following an extraordinary meeting in Cairo, the Arab League re-admitted Syria to its ranks after an 11-year absence. According to CNN, “Syria, from tonight, is a full member of the Arab League, and starting tomorrow they … Continue reading

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An Election to Determine Türkiye’s Identity and Future

May 4, 2023 On May 14, Türkiye will hold what can only be defined as “the last exit to democracy” presidential and parliamentary elections. The AKP has been in power for two decades. Its early years in power inspired cautious … Continue reading

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The Limits of NATO’s Outreach

April 24, 2023 On April 7, a batch of classified documents detailing American national security secrets from Ukraine to the Middle East to China surfaced on social media sites. It caused a shock in Washington. The leaked documents contained some … Continue reading

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A Light Breeze of Change in the Middle East

April 17, 2023 On March 10, 2023, the “Joint Trilateral Statement by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran” was issued in Beijing. The Joint Statement started with a reference “to … Continue reading

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Europe-China Relations and the Macron Visit

April 10, 2023 On November 4, 2022, Chancellor Scholz paid an eleven-hour visit to Beijing with a group of top German business executives.  He was the first Western leader visit to China since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and … Continue reading

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The Longest-serving …

April 3, 2023 Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair served as Prime Ministers for approximately 9, 12, and 10 years respectively. Are they on top of the list of longest-serving British leaders? No. Sir Robert Walpole, the Chancellor of … Continue reading

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President Xi Jinping’s Visit to Russia

March 27, 2023 On June 14, 2021, Mr. Biden arrived in Brussels on his first trip to Europe as President. The Brussels Summit Communiqué issued by the NATO Heads of State and Government on that day broke new ground by … Continue reading

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