Relations between Turkey and the Balkan Countries as in a Function of Improving the Regional Peace and Stability

Year 2014, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 59 - 76, 01.12.2014

Mehmedin Tahirovic

Abstract

In today’s complex security situation in the international community, Turkey is more important to the NATO than ever before in the 65 year old history of the Alliance. The development of the last two decades in Turkey, represented a fundamental change in its social and economic development Just as Turkey was seen as a bridge between Europe and Asia as well as Christian and Muslim World for the West. Western Balkans is seen today as a bridge between Turkey and European Union. In the New Turkey’s foreign policy, based on Turkey’s Strategic Vision 2023, a key navigation and targeting  Turkey’s membership of the European Union has remained on force, but this time in collaboration with the newly established geopolitical space of the Western Balkans. Turkey and Montenegro have a common foreign policy orientation related to the neighboring developing best relations and cooperation which is very important for regional stability. Stability in the Balkans, particularly the Western Balkans, is necessary connected to the region’s EU and NATO integrations. Bearing in mind the historical, cultural and geographical links of the rest of the regions with Turkey is very important that relations between Turkey and the Balkan states occur through already established mechanisms of cooperation within the European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Without stability of the Turkey, there is no stability in Europe nor in the Balkans region.

 

Keywords: Turkey, NATO, European Union, Balkans, Regional stability, Montenegro

Keywords

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