From Desk Of The Editor

Diba Nigar Goksel

This issue of TPQ spans a broad range of topics concerning both Turkey’s domestic affairs and neighborhood dynamics. Diverse views are voiced on the course of change in a number of Turkey’s relationships that can be regarded to be “in flux” - Israel and Greece, Armenia and the United States. The respective capacity and influence of the U.S. and the EU in the regions of the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Eurasia are analyzed, in conjunction with an effort to better understand Turkey’s comparative soft power in these regions.

Turkish- U.S. Strategic Partnership

Namık Tan

Over the decades, the Turkish-American relationship has transcended the limits of a political and military alliance, evolving into a strategic partnership that comprises not only political but also economic, cultural, and social spheres. The vision of a model partnership takes the Turkish-American relationship a step further than ever before. It envisages close cooperation between a secular and predominantly Muslim nation that has multiple regional identities and a Western superpower with global standing. We believe that Turkey’s relations with other global actors are complementary. Our relations with the United States and the EU complement our presence in Eurasia and the Middle East and are not mutually exclusive.

Washington Concerned As Turkey Leaving the West

Ariel Cohen

Turkey is facing a tough choice: if it wants to emerge as a ''first world'' economy and a liberal democracy, it needs to protect its interests in the West and expand ties with the United States. Such a choice would dictate both internal and foreign policy priorities, different from policies aimed at becoming a leader of the Muslim/Middle Eastern world. If, instead, Turkey prefers to be a “Sultan” in the East, it will continue to emphasize the priorities that are now in place: attack Israel, develop ties with radical Islamists from Tehran to Gaza to Khartoum, and irreversibly change the nature of the country.

Reciprocal Insincerity: Current Trends in the Treatment of Minorities in Greece and Turkey

Dimostenis Yağcıoğlu

Reciprocity, a principle that should never be used by a state on its own citizens, has nonetheless been applied by the Greek government to legitimize policies limiting or violating the rights of Turkish-Muslims in Greece, and by the Turkish government to do the same for the Greek-Orthodox in Turkey. Fortunately, the approach of both governments toward reciprocity has recently shown signs of change. Minorities are now considered in a more positive light. Yet, the governments of the two countries appear unwilling to fully abandon reciprocity and take steps to address the demands of minorities. Their rhetoric is insincere and a way to hide this mutual unwillingness.

Crises and Transformations in Turkish Political Economy

Ziya Öniş

This paper attempts to provide a general framework to understand the broad features of Turkish political economy by focusing on key crises and their political and economic consequences. Attention is drawn to the transformative impact of the major crises in terms of both shifts in the broad thrust of economic policies and the nature of Turkish private sector development. The paper concludes by underlining the importance of democratic consolidation as a means of overcoming the cyclical nature of economic growth experienced so far, with its far-reaching and costly political and human consequences.   

Israeli- Palestinian Negotiations: Survey of the Past, Present and Future

Tal Gat

For the last 19 years, Israelis and Palestinians have been trying to find solutions to end their conflict. Although the need to live together should have brought both sides to find a solution, the conflict is “stuck” and no solution ending the conflict has been agreed upon. Despite the natural tendency to analyze the conflict by criticizing the allegedly strong side (which, in this case is Israel), the following article presents a short summary and overview of the past, the missed opportunities, the current matters, and an optimistic look to the future.

The U.S. Security Strategy and the Role of Turkey In the New Middle East

Dariush Zahedi & Scott A. Field

Ever since the Iraq War disrupted the regional balance of power, a fundamentally new geopolitical reality has been emerging in the Middle East. As the U.S. winds down its military presence in Iraq, it must confront this new reality, and decide what kind of grand strategy it will henceforth apply to the region.  In this respect, the most promising development it can seize upon is the rapidly emerging role of Turkey as a leading regional political, economic and diplomatic power. As with any rising power, this process will generate occasional tensions with the United States, as seen recently over Iranian nuclear sanctions and the Israeli flotilla incident. But the United States should not lose sight of the overwhelming long-term advantages of Turkey’s greater prominence in the Middle East, which is likely to facilitate integration with the global economy, support peaceful modes of conflict resolution and encourage accommodation between Islamic and Western liberal political norms.

State of Minorities in Greek-Turkish Relations in the Light of European Integration

Mert Tekin

This article discusses the impact of European integration on minority policies in Greece and Turkey. The history of minorities and the evolution of state policies in Greece and Turkey are examined. The paper argues that minority policies have rested upon the logic of marginalization, intimidation and reciprocity in both countries. However, European integration has provided policymakers in Athens and Ankara with a framework to legitimize their reform policies. Thus, significant improvements in minority policies have taken place in the last two decades, even though shortcomings remain.

How to Negotiate with the EU: Theories and Practice

Kader Sevinç

In the European Union, negotiationis a built-in and indispensable dimension of the decision-making process. There are written rules, unique moves, clearly defined targets and sometimes unexpected results. As for the ongoing negotiations of membershipbetween the EU and Turkey, lack of political leadership and strategic vision on both sides have led the negotiations to become a bit of an enigma, rather than an end-game.

Fethullah Gülen's ''Jewish Dialogue''

Efrat Aviv

Fethullah Gülen is a moderate Turkish Muslim scholar, a prolific writer, philosopher, and leader of a self-named movement. His critics accuse him of undermining Turkish secular values, while his followers claim that he is a moderate religious scholar that is a victim of baseless and recurring attacks. Gülen and his Movement promote interfaith dialogue. The purpose of this essay is to examine Gülen’s relations with the Jewish community inside and outside Turkey, and analyze whether this dialogue is used as a tool to empower the Movement or to disseminate Islam, as Gülen’s critics claim, or whether it is based on a genuine desire to appeal to the Jewish community and carry out a real dialogue.

The Effects of Lisbon Treaty on Accession Countries

Marija Risteska

The Lisbon Treaty does not introduce new policy areas, legislation or policy models to which the acceding countries should converge. It does not advance the enlargement process, nor does it add certainty to it. The Treaty, however, does offer institutional reforms that may significantly change the approach of the Union towards accession countries. This paper assesses the impact of the Lisbon treaty on future accessions to the European Union.

Russia As the West's Elusive Ally in Afghanistan

Jakub Kulhanek

The article examines Russia’s Afghan policy in light of the tentative Russo-West rapprochement in the aftermath of the August War in Georgia. It juxtaposes Russia’s regional interests and its global foreign policy agenda vis-à-vis the West in order to evaluate the true extent of Moscow’s involvement in Afghanistan. The article concludes that lack of resources and clear Afghan strategy overshadowed by Russia’s conflicting, and too often overambitious, foreign policy goals render Moscow as an unreliable partner who can offer the West very little in terms of tangible support in stabilizing post-Taliban Afghanistan.

G-Word Politics

Nareg Seferian

The issue of the events involving Armenians and Turks at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century has gained political currency over the past few decades. It involves a number of players: the Republic of Turkey, the organized Armenian Diaspora, the Republic of Armenia, the Armenians of Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the nascent émigré groups of Turks and Azerbaijanis in the West. Whereas the Armenian parties must consolidate their efforts and present a united front, the greater onus lies on Turkey as the biggest and most significant player to achieve a lasting resolution.

Azerbaijan-Russia Relations: Is the Foreign Policy Strategy of Azerbaijan Changing?

Araz Aslanlı

In the historical course of Azerbaijan, Russia has always been perceived as an invader, while Russia considered Azerbaijan as both an opportunity and a threat – an opportunity in the sense that it is a bridge in the region, and a threat as this can also be utilized by other states.   As a small and newly independent country, Azerbaijan has not been able to determine its own foreign policy course, but instead tries to balance the foreign powers’ demands. If Russia uses the powerful vehicles and tools available to it, not only Azerbaijan’s but the stakes of other regional players’ stakes  will also be under threat.  

Union for the Mediterranean and Eastern Partnership- Conflicting Geopolitical Interests or Complementary Concepts of the EU's External Relations?

Jakub Wodka

The article aims to elaborate on the European Union’s policy towards the Mediterranean region by focusing specifically on the newly-designed concept of the Union for the Mediterranean, which is juxtaposed with Eastern Partnership, a fledgling project adopted by the EU in 2009. A comparative approach is adopted which evaluates the “political resources” being committed to the two dimensions of Europe’s neighborhood policy. In the wide array of EU’s foreign policy issues, the national interests of member states dominate. As long as the conflicting interests of the member states prevail in discussions on the neighborhood policy, it will not be possible to design neither a coherent and attractive offer for the EU’s neighbors nor an effective instrument by which the EU could have real impact on its neighborhood.

The Agenda: Regional Developments Reports and Events