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.

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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Western Military Interventions in the Middle East

September 18, 2023 The Middle East has witnessed many Western military interventions since the end of the First World War. Two recent ones are particularly significant in drawing lessons for the future. The Iraq-Iran War started on September 22, 1980. … Continue reading

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Growing Resistance to a New Cold War

September 11, 2023 The major headline of the past week was the agreement of G20 countries on the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. The Western media generally reported that the leaders underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent … Continue reading

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Black Sea Grain and Russian-Turkish Relations

September 6, 2023 During the past few weeks, many countries hoped that Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan’s and President Erdoğan’s visits to Russia would be a step toward reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Unfortunately, this did not happen. During the … Continue reading

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