Tag Archives: Turkey-Syria

A Brief Overview of Türkiye’s Foreign Relations

September 19, 2022 The Middle East: In December 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”, at the time a fashionable label for Türkiye’s relationships … Continue reading

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The Erdoğan-Putin Summit

August 7, 2022 Last Friday President Erdoğan flew to Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi where he was welcomed by President Putin as a “dear friend”. [i] Two weeks ago, in joint remarks to the press following the Astana … Continue reading

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Turkey’s Diplomatic Flurry

February 21, 2022 Although being overshadowed by the standoff in Ukraine, Turkish foreign policy has entered a remarkably busy period. Our leaders are paying visits to or receiving visitors from countries long considered adversaries. Ambassadors are probably getting ready to … Continue reading

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How We Lost Our Way

May 3, 2021 During my years at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I sometimes asked the ambassadors in Ankara how they viewed their job in our capital since they usually stressed Turkey’s location as a unique observation post for … Continue reading

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The Idlib Problem Still with Us

April 27, 2020 Coronavirus is seen as the greatest global challenge of modern times. Because, the death toll in some countries has reached tens of thousands. Just as important is the shock of unpreparedness, helplessness and vulnerability of a technologically … 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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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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Middle East Stability Still Faraway

January 18, 2019 It has been a month since President Trump declared victory against ISIS in Syria and said US troops were returning home. It was only to be expected that the decision would lead to questions. Because, this was … Continue reading

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The Idlib Challenge and the Sochi Summit

September 18, 2018 On September 17, 2018, Presidents Putin and Erdoğan met in Sochi. On top of their agenda was Idlib. This is what President Putin said at the joint press conference following the talks: “We reviewed the situation in … Continue reading

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Syria: A Bleak Future

October 4, 2016 On February 22, the United States and the Russian Federation, Co-Chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), issued the “Joint Statement on Cessation of Hostilities in Syria”. As a first reaction, even the most optimistic observers … Continue reading

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