Category Archives: Uncategorized

Time to Launch “Operation Enduring Diplomacy”

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

June 18, 2019 Two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. Washington holds Iran responsible. Iran denies the charge. While some observers draw attention to the possible role of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in the attacks, others draw … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s S400s/F35s Conundrum

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

  June 14, 2019 The last episode of the S400 missiles/F35 fighters controversy has taken Turkey-US relations to unprecedented lows. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart. For some, this was an “ultimatum”.  Ankara’s earlier … Continue reading →

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Closing of Ranks in the East, Disarray in the West

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

June 7, 2019 In the West, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Venezuela and Jared Kushner’s Middle East peace plan took a back seat during the week. It was President Trump who dominated the headlines. Attention initially focused on the jabs he took … Continue reading →

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The Mecca Summits

Posted on June 2, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

June 2, 2019 The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held summit meetings in Mecca last week. All three were chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. The … Continue reading →

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The Unbreakable Bond Between Turkey’s Democracy and Foreign Policy

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

May 31, 2019 A fundamental reality of foreign relations is that a country’s international standing is largely a reflection of its internal strength. And this invariably depends on respect for the rule of law, strong institutions and a broad national … Continue reading →

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Fighting for Survival?

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

  May 22, 2019 Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party’s (JDP) principal theme in the recent municipal election campaign was “the fight for Turkey’s survival”. The party and its supporters in the media claimed that Turkey was under the siege … Continue reading →

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On US-Russia Relations and Iran

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

May 16, 2019 During his first visit to Moscow on 6-8 July 2009 President Obama tried to “reset” relations. Unfortunately for the international community this failed to materialize. The Arab Spring led to a new set of confrontations. Snowden affair … Continue reading →

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The Last Exit

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

May 9, 2019 That Turkey has a strategic location is an axiom of our foreign policy. Although this is generally presented as an asset, it has always been a double-edged sword since we border on conflict areas, prominently among them … Continue reading →

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A Dark Day for Turkey

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

May 6, 2019 Turkey held municipal elections on Sunday, March 31. Late in the evening polling stations finished counting the votes. In Istanbul, like in other major cities, the result was a victory for the opposition candidate, Mr. Imamoglu. However, … Continue reading →

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Turkey-US Relations and Iran Sanctions

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

April 25, 2019 President Hassan Rouhani had called the JCPOA a “golden page” in his country’s history, opening a new chapter in Iran’s engagement with the world. It was hoped that the deal would end decades of hostile relations between … Continue reading →

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