Greece's dangerous playbook in Eastern Mediterranean
Greece has been playing a dangerous game recently with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean. There are several reasons why Greece is choosing to play this high-risk game and increase tensions with its neighbor.
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Turkey's busy diplomatic agenda: Egypt, Ukraine, Libya
The European Union’s leaders are still preoccupied with the 'protocol crisis' they conjured up last week, as Turkey launches a diplomatic offensive.
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Turkey and Libya enjoy one of the most special bilateral relationships in modern times. Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah's latest visit is yet another indication of this remarkable relationship.
The most unfortunate reaction to the made-up scandal came from Italy, whose recently appointed prime minister, Mario Draghi, made the following statement: 'I disagree with the way President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan treated Ursula. We must be frank with these dictators but, at the same time, cooperate with them for the sake of our nations’ interests.'
veryone responded to the coup-tinted declaration of 104 retired admirals the way I predicted on the state broadcaster TRT’s weekly current affairs show the following morning.
Last week, 104 retired admirals released a declaration warning the government and state institutions to abide by the Montreux Convention and abandon plans to build a new canal in Istanbul.
Donbass: The first round between Biden and Putin
Ukraine’s Donbass region is, once again, at the top of the global agenda. Tensions have escalated there following the March 26 killing of four Ukrainian soldiers by Russian-backed separatists, as Moscow and Kyiv started a war or words. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, threatened that 'any attempt to start a new war in Donbass could destroy Ukraine.' In truth, Lavrov merely uttered those words on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behalf.
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What is EU planning for its Turkey policy?
The European Union leaders summit resulted in minor positive steps and a three-month extension. The description of steps for rapprochement as “gradual, proportional and reversible” was a textbook carrot-and-stick routine. Europe’s method of communication, too, was quite familiar.
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Turkey maintains its decisive stance on the ground as normalization signals with Egypt worry the duo further
French President Emmanuel Macron, in contrast, highlighted Europe’s Turkish dilemma in an interview with France 5. First, he recognized Turkey, a NATO ally, as an important trade partner and a key ally in the fight against illegal migration toward Europe. Then, Macron spoke about the fear that 3 million Syrians will come to the continent. Finally, he claimed that Turkey was going to “attempt to influence” French elections.
In order for normalization initiatives to bear fruit, ambassadors must be appointed or an agreement on maritime jurisdiction areas must be signed, which are, in fact, options that are not too far-fetched
Turkey and Egypt, which have been experiencing a tense relationship since the military coup against the democratically elected government of Mohammed Morsi in July 2013, have initiated a new diplomatic dialogue in response to changing regional and global dynamics.
It is time for everyone in the Middle East to make a new strategic assessment. Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced last Friday that Turkey had made 'diplomatic contact' with Egypt.
The Middle East is experiencing an extraordinary amount of activity on the 10th anniversary of the Arab revolts. A series of developments and debates are intertwined: in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey and Egypt are watching each other’s movements, as Tel Aviv sends warm messages to Ankara.
Turkey and the European Union seek a positive agenda. It would serve the interests of both parties if the European Council’s meeting on March 25-26 transforms that pursuit into a concrete policy. After all, it is high time that the Turkey-EU relationship undergoes a strategic assessment.
The Middle East is not a foreign policy priority for U.S. President Joe Biden – just as it wasn’t for his predecessors Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
The PKK terrorists' execution of 13 unarmed Turkish citizens in Gara, northern Iraq, will remain the subject of heated political debate for some time. The debate could have an impact on Turkey's foreign policy if it builds on the political consciousness that awakens following events of this nature and supports our fight against terrorism – rather than the opposition’s accusations.
The United Nations-led Libya Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) voted to appoint an interim government for Libya on Feb. 5. Members from conflicting parties and the representatives of key groups in Libya had been discussing their country's political future under the LPDF since the beginning of November 2020.
Optimism and utopia are what we need to avoid when talking about the new president's 'transition to democracy' strategy
Strategic Flexibility under Geopolitical Anxiety
The blockade and isolation of Qatar, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), began in June 2017 and ended with a declaration at the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit on Jan. 4 in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula province.
