Yazar arşivleri: Ali Tuygan

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Ali Tuygan hakkında

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.

Presidents Biden and Xi Meet

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November 20, 2023

A principal foreign policy objective of the Obama White House was “pivot to Asia”. However, the Arab Spring, interventions in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war in 2014, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia did not allow him to focus on Asia. But a White House fact sheet titled “Advancing the Rebalance to Asia and the Pacific” published on November 16, 2017, stated the following:

“As President Obama told Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit in September, the United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful, stable, prosperous, and a responsible player in international affairs.  Building a constructive relationship with Beijing that simultaneously supports expanding practical cooperation on global issues while candidly addressing differences between us is an important component of the Rebalance.  We support China becoming an increasingly capable and active partner in addressing regional and global challenges, and in working with us and others to strengthen the existing international system of norms, rules, and institutions…”[i]

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The Gaza War and the Challenges Ahead

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November 13, 2023

The Hamas assault of October 7 and Israel’s military response with total disregard for civilian life have both drawn harsh criticism worldwide, most notably by the UN Secretary-General Guterres. It has inevitably led to questions about the future of the Palestinian problem. Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken’s recent trip to the region has not accomplished much other than diverting some attention from IDF’s operations in Gaza. Now, even the Western partners of Israel are feeling compelled to balance their support for Tel Aviv with calls for “cease-fires”. In recent days, Israel declared four-hour pauses to allow the Gazans to escape the fighting in the north and thus contain growing international reaction to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip, and to gain time to fight Hamas to the bitter end, at least in northern Gaza.

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Ankara’s Roller-coaster Foreign Policy

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November 6, 2023

Türkiye and Israel enjoyed good relations for decades. The coming to power of the AKP in 2002 introduced an element of uncertainty into the relationship. However, there was no major disturbance until the “one-minute” incident at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 30, 2009, where Prime Minister Erdoğan, in the presence of President Shimon Peres, strongly denounced Israel for its attitude toward the Palestinians. This marked the beginning of the downturn.

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Türkiye and the Gaza War

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November 1, 2023

The October 7 Hamas assault was a shock for the Israelis. It should not have been. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some foresaw that trouble was in the making. The following is from an International Crisis Group statement of March 21, 2023, titled “Persistent Violence in Israel-Palestine Could Escalate Further”:

“Tensions have been rising for the past few months, fueled by a combination of factors. Among them are deadly Israeli military raids in Palestinian population centers in the West Bank; killings of Israelis by individual Palestinians; mob rampages by Israeli settlers; incendiary statements by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new far-right government and the Knesset; a restless and militarily potent Hamas in the Gaza Strip; and a Palestinian Authority (PA) that has, in many Palestinians’ eyes, lost legitimacy as its security apparatus starts to break down.”

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No Quick End to the Gaza War

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October 21, 2023

On October 18, President Biden arrived in Tel Aviv on what many called “a high-stakes trip”. Mentioned in that context were standing resolutely behind Israel, preventing a wider regional conflict, and saving hostages. One may also add Mr. Biden’s legacy to the list.

After sharing hugs with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog, “We will continue to have Israel’s back as you work to defend your people,” he said at the airport.

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The Gaza War

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October 16, 2023

The following is from an International Crisis Group statement of March 21, 2023, titled “Persistent Violence in Israel-Palestine Could Escalate Further”:

“Tensions have been rising for the past few months, fueled by a combination of factors. Among them are deadly Israeli military raids in Palestinian population centers in the West Bank; killings of Israelis by individual Palestinians; mob rampages by Israeli settlers; incendiary statements by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new far-right government and the Knesset; a restless and militarily potent Hamas in the Gaza Strip; and a Palestinian Authority (PA) that has, in many Palestinians’ eyes, lost legitimacy as its security apparatus starts to break down.”[i]

In brief, some wise observers foresaw that some trouble was coming. Understandably, what they could not foresee was the extent of it.

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A World of Conflict

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October 9, 2023

Following the recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, Presidents Aliyev and Pashinyan were supposed to meet in Granada, Spain on October 5. Only days before the scheduled meeting, French Foreign Minister Colonna visited Yerevan where she said: “I would like to publicly state that France has agreed on future contracts with Armenia which will allow the delivery of military equipment to Armenia so that it can ensure its defense.” You’ll understand that I can’t go into more detail at the moment.” A few days later, citing unnamed sources, Azerbaijani media said that Mr. Aliyev had decided against the Granada meeting after France and Germany allegedly objected to President Erdoğan’s participation in the talks. French promise to send arms to Armenia was only a knee-jerk reaction, a reflection of Paris’ colonial instincts during times of trouble in Africa. It undermines efforts to achieve peace. Should Paris be interested in peace-making somewhere, it can turn to Libya, a country that was completely devastated thanks to the Sarkozy-led intervention in violation of a UN Security Council Resolution.

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Armenia and Azerbaijan Need a Paradigm Shift

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October 2, 2023

Baku’s lightning military operation of September 19-20 has ended three decades of de facto self-governance for Nagorno-Karabakh. The breakaway government announced last week that all government entities would be dissolved by the end of the year. Over a hundred thousand of its inhabitants have already left for Armenia. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is a humanitarian tragedy. Older generations of Turks know this very well since their grandparents have also experienced such tragedies before, during, and after the First World War having to leave their homes in the former territories of the Ottoman Empire, particularly in the Balkans.

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Ukraine Update

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September 25, 2023

The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opened on September 5, 2023, and the “High-Level Week” took place on September 18-22. Some important leaders, including those of China, Russia, France, and the UK, the four permanent members of the UN Security Council, did not travel to New York. Not surprising given the UN’s inability to effectively deal with global challenges.

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Western Military Interventions in the Middle East

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September 18, 2023

The Middle East has witnessed many Western military interventions since the end of the First World War. Two recent ones are particularly significant in drawing lessons for the future.

The Iraq-Iran War started on September 22, 1980. The war lasted eight years. In 1990 Saddam Hussein made his biggest mistake by ordering the invasion of Kuwait. The US-led military campaign forced Iraq to withdraw. The people of Iraq suffered for decades under sanctions. On March 20, 2003, the US joined by the UK and several coalition allies invaded Iraq. The invasion which was not sanctioned by the UN not only led to the collapse of the Ba’athist government but the Iraqi state as well.

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