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 Arduous Path to the Two-State Solution

October 27, 2023 “While declarations, resolutions, and universal “sectoral” treaties have articulated some distinct conditions and core elements, no standardized definition of terrorism exists. In the absence of an internationally agreed definition of acts of terrorism, the High Commissioner for … Continue reading

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Presidents Biden and Xi Meet

November 20, 2023 A principal foreign policy objective of the Obama White House was “pivot to Asia”. However, the Arab Spring, interventions in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war in 2014, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia did not … Continue reading

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The Gaza War and the Challenges Ahead

November 13, 2023 The Hamas assault of October 7 and Israel’s military response with total disregard for civilian life have both drawn harsh criticism worldwide, most notably by the UN Secretary-General Guterres.  It has inevitably led to questions about the … Continue reading

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Ankara’s Roller-coaster Foreign Policy

November 6, 2023 Türkiye and Israel enjoyed good relations for decades. The coming to power of the AKP in 2002 introduced an element of uncertainty into the relationship. However, there was no major disturbance until the “one-minute” incident at the … Continue reading

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Türkiye and the Gaza War

November 1, 2023 The October 7 Hamas assault was a shock for the Israelis. It should not have been. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some foresaw that trouble was in the making. The following is from an International … Continue reading

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No Quick End to the Gaza War

October 21, 2023 On October 18, President Biden arrived in Tel Aviv on what many called “a high-stakes trip”. Mentioned in that context were standing resolutely behind Israel, preventing a wider regional conflict, and saving hostages. One may also add … Continue reading

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The Gaza War

October 16, 2023 The following is from an International Crisis Group statement of March 21, 2023, titled “Persistent Violence in Israel-Palestine Could Escalate Further”: “Tensions have been rising for the past few months, fueled by a combination of factors. Among … Continue reading

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A World of Conflict

October 9, 2023 Following the recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, Presidents Aliyev and Pashinyan were supposed to meet in Granada, Spain on October 5. Only days before the scheduled meeting French Foreign Minister Colonna visited Yerevan where she said: “I would … Continue reading

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Armenia and Azerbaijan Need a Paradigm Shift

October 2, 2023 Baku’s lightning military operation of September 19-20 has ended three decades of de facto self-governance for Nagorno-Karabakh. The breakaway government announced last week that all government entities would be dissolved by the end of the year. Over … Continue reading

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Ukraine Update

September 25, 2023 The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opened on September 5, 2023, and the “High-Level Week” took place on September 18-22. Some important leaders, including those of China, Russia, France, and the UK, the … Continue reading

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