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.

Yemen’s Continuing Ordeal

The following is a post I had written eleven years ago. A decade later, the Middle East is again in turmoil. The OIC is nonexistent. Ankara must be a partner in peace, not in conflict.

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A Narrowing Window of Opportunity

September 21, 2026 In recent weeks, the Houthis, in a lightning offensive, have captured two key islands near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, giving them greater leverage over the critical maritime route. With two major maritime arteries nearly blocked, oil prices … Continue reading →

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Towards Chaos

September 14, 2026 The war in Ukraine—Europe’s longest and deadliest conflict since World War II—continues to escalate. Many observers agree that this will be a tough winter for Ukrainians. Earlier this year, the EU finalized a $100 billion loan for … Continue reading →

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Gazans to “Voluntarily Emigrate”

September 7, 2026 This is how I had concluded a post more than a year ago: “Against the latest flurry of diplomacy, Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing government remains determined that all Palestinians be expelled from Gaza, a project endorsed by President … Continue reading →

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Europe’s Long War

August 31, 2026 On August 24, Ukraine celebrated the 35th anniversary of its independence. The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing convened in Kyiv and via video conference to commemorate the occasion. In a co-chair’s statement, they noted that … Continue reading →

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Russia-Türkiye Relations

August 24, 2026 On August 15, 2026, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was asked about plans by the US and Türkiye to supply arms to Kyiv. Referring to a “quite a considerable arsenal”, she said, “… these are countries … Continue reading →

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Learning Again to Live With Wars

August 17, 2026 Since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, the Middle East has been traumatized by Western interventions, wars, power competition, and peace treaties among regional adversaries that have failed to embrace … Continue reading →

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Türkiye at an Inflection Point

August 8, 2026 The victors of the First World War were determined to partition the Ottoman Empire and confine it to central Anatolia. On August 10, 1920, the “Sultan” signed the Treaty of Sèvres, the death sentence of the “Sick … Continue reading →

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Enough of the Bombast

July 29, 2026 During the last two weeks, US forces kept striking targets in Iran. On July 20, the Houthis announced a complete maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.  President Trump threatened a “major military punishment” for Iran and its Houthi … Continue reading →

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The Second-best Option: “No War, No Peace”

July 20, 2026 The world remains occupied with the wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine, and their global repercussions. With the sharp military escalation between Iran and the US and President Trump’s threats and conflicting remarks, it was … Continue reading →

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