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 Christchurch Tragedy

March 21, 2019 The Christchurch massacre was a horrendous crime. It was a ghastly, dastardly act of terrorism. The innocent people who died there ranged in age from 3 to 71. The enormity of the crime shocked the people of … Continue reading

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Turkey’s “More Than Municipal” Election

March 18, 2019 At the end of March Turkey will hold municipal elections. However, the ongoing campaign is not about our failed city planning, repairing broken sidewalks and potholed streets. For the JDP this is an exercise to further consolidate … Continue reading

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From Downing of Russian Military Aircraft to the Purchase of Russian S-400s

March 11, 2019 At the beginning of the Syrian conflict Russia and Turkey were on diametrically opposite sides. Russia was supporting the regime, the Turkish government the opposition. Nonetheless, Turkish-Russian relations remained on track. On November 24, 2015 a stunning … Continue reading

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The Hanoi Summit

March 2, 2019 The three paragraphs below were among the conclusions I had drawn from the first Trump-Kim summit held in Singapore on June 12, 2018 (*): The Singapore summit marks the relaunching, under more favorable circumstances and with a … Continue reading

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Confronting Terrorism and Islamic State’s Ideology

February 26, 2019 The following is among the permanent fixtures of UN Security Council resolutions on terrorism: “Emphasizing that terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, or civilization…” The reality … Continue reading

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IS Fighters’ Homecoming: Price for the Regime Change Project in Syria

February 22, 2019 The war in Syria appears to be coming to an end and the return of ISIS fighters and families to their countries is becoming a major issue. The UK is unwilling to agree to the return of … Continue reading

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ISIS Fighters Going Home

February 19, 2019 The war in Syria appears to be coming to an end. During the past eight years it was migration which led to internal political challenges for European governments and to divisions within the EU. Now it is … Continue reading

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Worlds Apart

February 15, 2019 Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, the day of romance. Not on the international scene. The two important international meetings held on that very day reflected two worlds apart: the anti-Iran Warsaw meeting in effect “led and co-chaired by … Continue reading

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The War on Terror

February 12, 2019 Reaction to President Trump’s sudden announcement of troop pullout from Syria and the talks between Washington and the Taliban have reignited the debate on the war on terror. On February 3, the New York Times editorial titled … Continue reading

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Crisis in Venezuela and Turkey

February 7, 2019 BBC’s country profile on Venezuela starts with the following: “Venezuela is a country of striking natural beauty, ranging from the snow-capped Andean peaks in the west, through the Amazonian jungles in the south, to the beaches of … Continue reading

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