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 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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Realignment in the West?

March 3, 2025 For centuries Europe remained the world’s main battleground. The casualties of the two world wars within four decades dwarfed the losses and devastation of past conflicts.  And as the Second World War ended, the Iron Curtain descended … Continue reading

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The Onerous Task of Bringing Peace to Ukraine

February 24, 2025 Today marks the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war continues but the diplomatic picture has changed dramatically. President Trump’s first month in office was frenetic, to say the least, and led to the fracturing … Continue reading

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The West in Turmoil

February 17, 2025 President Trump’s barrage of proposals and statements by senior US officials on peace in the Middle East and Ukraine have surprised European partners, triggering confusion and uncertainty. Last Friday, Vice-President Vance chastised European leaders for failing to … Continue reading

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President Trump’s Diplomatic Agenda Unfolding

February 10, 2025 At a CNN town hall in May 2023, Mr. Trump said: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours.” He said … Continue reading

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Redesigning the Middle East

February 3, 2025 Since his inauguration, President Trump’s speeches and remarks have only led to confusion and uncertainty regarding his administration’s foreign, security, and economic policies. Reacting to his continuing remarks about Greenland, Denmark announced last week that it would … Continue reading

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