Author Archives: Ali Tuygan

Unknown's avatar

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.

President Trump’s “Royal” Pardons

January 4, 2021 On December 24, President Trump issued pardons to more than 90 people.  The Washington Post said 60 have gone to petitioners who have a personal tie to Mr. Trump or who helped his political aims, according to … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

More Than a Lost Year

December 22, 2020 The main foreign policy topics of the past decade have been China’s ascendancy, relations between the West and a resurgent Russia, the rise of authoritarianism, democracy’s decline, the failure of multilateralism and climate change. With the Trump … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nagorno-Karabakh: The Road Ahead (2)

December 14, 2020 With the signing, by President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan, of the Russian-brokered statement on a complete ceasefire and the termination of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh the conflict has entered a new phase.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Towards a Defining Moment

December 7, 2020 Last week’s virtual meeting of NATO foreign ministers witnessed an unprecedented exchange between Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu. It made headlines in Turkey but more concerning are the questions currently raised both in Turkey and the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nagorno-Karabakh: The Road Ahead

November 30, 2020 The last round of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12, 2020.  During the war between 1988-1994, Armenian forces had occupied not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also the seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan before a Russian-brokered … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Failure in Afghanistan

November 23, 2020 On February 29, 2020, “Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban and the United States … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Turkey’s Relations with the West

November 17, 2020 President-elect Joe Biden will assume office on January 20, 2021. Exactly twelve years ago he assumed office as Vice President. Three months later, on April 6, 2009 President Obama visited Ankara on his first trip abroad as … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Biden Victory and Turkey

November 9, 2020 Mr. Joe Biden is now the President-elect of the United States. Critics are united in underlining the enormity of the challenges he faces. Below are excerpts from Mr. Biden’s article titled “Why America Must Lead Again”, published … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Disease of Polarization

November 3, 2020 Four years ago, in a post titled “Middle East in the Grip of Polarization” I said: “The Middle East, in the grip of polarization, is going through a most violent period… Throughout the region the mentality continues … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tensions Between France and Turkey

October 29, 2020 On 7 January 2015, two brothers, French citizens born in Paris to Algerian immigrants, forced their way into the offices Charlie Hebdo where they killed 12 people and injured 11 others. Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula claimed … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment