Turkey, being positioned among the war-torn countries, such as Iran and Syria, and European countries, such as Bulgaria, is a major influencing power in the world. Turkey’s political environment puts the state among the most pivotal nations in the region, while its roots enable it to draw aspects from both Eastern and Western cultures. Such a phenomenon forced Turkey to develop a foreign policy that makes the republic distinctively flexible yet open for dialogue. This essay will discuss how Turkey interacts with its neighbors and allies.
Foreign policy is essential in establishing a clear direction for a country’s external relations. Being a member of the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Turkey is closer to states that conflict with these organizations (Bagdonas, 2015). The clashing ideologies in the region only fuel this notion, as the communities’ interests may spark hostilities. Due to this issue, Turkey’s foreign policy lacks any definite preference to avoid dragging the country into an unwanted dispute. Such an approach also weakens the hold of Western countries on Turkey.
In comparison with the nations from the European Union, the stability of many countries in the Middle Eastern region is often put into question. Due to this issue, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, which have borders with Turkey, underwent major changes in their governments and suffered this fact economically (Keyman, 2016). However, Turkey has to contain the outcomes of these changes, preferably through peaceful resolutions and negotiation, which is apparent in Turkey’s foreign deals.
In conclusion, Turkey takes a unique place on the global political scene, as it has connections to both European countries and Middle Asian cultures and heritage. Turkey is located between nations with clashing interests, where the role it takes is supposed to define the interrelationships. Turkey’s foreign policy is directed at avoiding any escalation near its borders, which makes it appear to align with different neighbors for the sake of peace.
References
Bagdonas, Ą. (2015). Turkey as a great power? Back to reality. Turkish Studies, 16(3), 310–331. Web.
Keyman, E. F. (2016). Turkish foreign policy in the post-Arab spring era: From proactive to buffer state. Third World Quarterly, 37(12), 2274–2287. Web.