TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY SURVEY: DIRECTIONS AND DILEMMAS IN 2007

Abstract

Turkey faces continued difficulties in its accession process with the European Union and in its relationship with the United States, mainly concerning the Kurdish issue. Meanwhile, Turkey has strengthened its ties with Arab and Islamic regimes. Both the EU and the US cannot afford to ignore Turkey, but will have to await the consequences of Turkish realignment in the Middle East. For Turkey, stronger involvement with its neighbours can make it a mediator and it can strengthen its position in the region. A Turkey well-rooted in its ties with the West and Islamic regimes in the east can serve as a transponder for both sides, though it involves certain risks for Turkey. It remains to be seen if Turkey’s strengthened dialogue with its neighbours has not come to serve as a mere legitimization for otherwise isolated radical regimes, but can actually benefit stability in the volatile region of the Middle East

Keywords

• Turkey, European Union accession, Cyprus, Middle East, Hamas, Iran, United States.