Turkish foreign policy 'domestic as well as global'

By Cansu Dikme and Merve Aydogan

ANKARA

Turkey's foreign policy is domestic, national and global, the country’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a symposium organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) on the 17th foundation anniversary of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey fixed its foreign policy on a new axis over the past 16 years under the rule of Justice and Development (AK) Party.

Cavusoglu said the Turkish foreign policy is based on an enterprising and humanitarian philosophy.

It reflects the humanitarian and conscientious characteristics of local people, he added.

“Today, the foreign policy of AK Party is domestic and national, as well as it is global,” he said.

He also underscored that a foreign policy devoid of a humanitarian sense is doomed to be temporary and disrespected.

Speaking at the session titled “Different Perspectives to AK Party’s Foreign Policy”, Portugal’s former EU Minister Bruno Macaes said the ruling AK Party government had two goals in the beginning, describing the first as “compatible” and the second as “difficult”.

Macaes said the first was “modernization” of Turkey and noted that the country had accomplished this goal “successfully”.

However, he said the second goal of “self-assertion”, which was “more complicated” aimed to turn turned Turkey into a powerful force in the world.

“This goal is more difficult to fit with the EU. European countries have with the EU because the EU calls on the European countries to reduce their sovereignty a bit, to fit with the rest of the system,” he said as he cited the Brexit process as an example.

Beril Dedeoglu, an academic from Istanbul’s Galatasaray University, said: “Real foreign policy is the reaction to actions.”

Recalling U.S. president’s policies applied against Turkey, she said foreign policy cannot be independent domestic politics. Dedeoglu underlined that Trump’s actions are influenced by the U.S.' November mid-term elections.

Another participant at the symposium, Princeton University’s Michael Reynolds highlighted the significance of Turkey, U.S. relations despite the recent tensions between the two states.

Reynolds said “both countries drive tremendous benefit” from each other’s cooperation and added that “Turkey is an irreplaceable partner for the U.S.”