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.

Days of Gloom in Türkiye

May 12, 2025 The world is going through a period of conflict and uncertainty. Where does Türkiye stand? What is Ankara’s relationship with its allies, traditional partners, regional countries, and neighbors?

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Trump’s First Hundred Days and Türkiye

May 5, 2025 At the end of President Trump’s first 100 days in office, the US and world media published assessments of the past three months. The International Crisis Group, in a commentary titled “Trump’s Turbulent First 100 Days: Views … Continue reading

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Ukraine Conflict in Its Fourth Year

April 28, 2025 President Trump likes being on the center stage at all times, prefers communicating his messages personally, and enjoys press gaggles. His messages, remarks, threats, and flip-flops are confusing and have introduced an element of unpredictability into US … Continue reading

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Türkiye’s Radish War

April 21, 2025 Following President Erdoğan’s first use of it in early January after the arrest of Mr. Rıza Akpolat, the Mayor of the Beşiktaş district of İstanbul, “radish” has become the top word of the Turkish political lexicon. Once … Continue reading

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High Time for the Left to Rally

April 14, 2025 People aspire to democracy.  Regardless of the level of respect they have for fundamental rights and freedoms, all regimes, including dictatorships claim to be democratic as this remains the ultimate source of legitimacy. People also aspire to … Continue reading

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The Question of the Endgame in Gaza (2)

April 7, 2025 On January 18, 2025, following the Israeli government’s approval of the Gaza ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement.  He notably declared that Israel retains the right to return to the war, if necessary, with the … Continue reading

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Türkiye at an Inflection Point (2)

March 31, 2025 Türkiye’s governing AKP came to power in November 2002. Twenty-three years later, it is still in power. Children who started elementary school in 2002 are now thirty. In its early years, the AKP appeared to have a … Continue reading

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Times of Trouble

March 23, 2025 When addressing international questions in my posts, I generally conclude by saying, “As for Türkiye,” and share a few observations on my country’s current challenges. Today, I would reverse the order and briefly start with Türkiye because … Continue reading

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Syria Facing Huge Challenges

March 13, 2025 A brief look at the past: In 2009, the communique issued at the end of the Damascus meeting of the “Turkish-Syrian High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council” referred to a “strategic partnership”, then a fashionable label for Türkiye’s external … Continue reading

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Ukraine Peace: A Challenge for Transatlantic Relations

March 10, 2025 On February 19, 2021, President Biden addressed the Virtual Munich Security Conference. He declared, “America is back.” Last week, President Trump delivered his State of the Union address before Congress. He started his remarks with the following: … Continue reading

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