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.

The Question of the Endgame in Ukraine

April 22, 2024 On February 26, 2024, President Macron, after hosting a meeting of 25 European leaders in Paris, said that there was “no consensus” on committing ground troops to the conflict in Ukraine but added, “Nothing should be excluded. … Continue reading

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Controlled Escalation in the Middle East

April 15, 2024 Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, I have held the view that Iran will continue to support its Middle East proxies but not to the brink of war with Israel. I still do. Although Washington … Continue reading

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A New Dawn for Türkiye

April 3, 2024 I concluded a recent post with the following: “At this time, the mood in the country is one of dejection… The principal battleground in the upcoming municipal elections would be Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir, Türkiye’s three major … Continue reading

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Fighting Russia with Russian Money

March 24, 2024 Article 2 (4) of the Charter of the United Nations reads, “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or … Continue reading

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An Unhappy Türkiye Heading to Municipal Elections

March 22, 2024 On Sunday, March 31st, Türkiye will hold municipal elections. People will not be going to the polls to express their preference for a new parliament, a new government, or a new leadership. Nonetheless, this election would allow … Continue reading

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Thirteenth Anniversary of the Syrian Uprising

March 18, 2024 On March 15, the Governments of France, Germany, the UK, and the US issued a statement on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the Syrian uprising.[i] They said that on this day 13 years ago, “the … Continue reading

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Airdrops  and Maritime Corridor to Gaza

March 11, 2024 Despite optimistic remarks by President Biden, the ceasefire and hostage release talks in Cairo failed to make any progress. The release of all hostages was never in the cards, unfortunately, since they happen to be Hamas’s principal … Continue reading

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A Critical Year

March 4, 2024 The anxiety reflected in the major headlines of the past week has confirmed that 2024 is going to be a critical year for the West. It seems that a growing number of Americans are not happy with … Continue reading

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The Forbidden Word “Ceasefire”

February 26, 2024 On February 17, Chancellor Scholz addressed the Munich Security Conference. Mentioning the tragic death of Alexei Navalny, he declared that to all intents and purposes, President Putin has brought the economy, education, science, and culture in Russia … Continue reading

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The Middle East, A Look at the Recent Past

February 21, 2024 The following are two posts from nearly three years ago. Both draw attention to the usual pattern of regional conflict. Where the war in Gaza might lead remains to be seen.

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