ABSTRACT
Turkish foreign policy towards the Middle East during the 1990s was associated with tension and conflict. Turkey and Syria came to the brink of war in 1998 due to the PKK and water issues, the no-flight zone in northern Iraq was seen as a shelter for the PKK and Iran was perceived as a threat to the secular nature of the regime. Turkey tried to balance these threats by building close cooperation with Israel. The end of the 1990s witnessed a series of developments: the Adana Accords were signed with Syria in 1998 and the PKK was declared to be militarily defeated in 1999. These developments changed Turkish foreign policy under İsmail Cem to an active, multi-regional policy. Relations with the Middle Eastern countries were de-securitized and cooperation, albeit limited, began during this period. Within the following decade, this cooperation reached such a level that visa requirements were lifted with many Arab countries, joint cabinet meetings were held with Syria and Iraq, and possibilities of further integration were debated. The Palestinian issue became more important during this period and relations with Israel deteriorated in parallel fashion. Turkey’s closer relations with the Middle East in the 2000s have domestic, regional and international aspects. Domestically, the perception of decreasing threat from the region, the coming to power of the Justice and Development Party in 2002 and the impact of the former advisor to the prime minister, academician and now Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, have been important. The ‘zero-problem with neighbours’ policy and the heated debate on neo-Ottomanism are important in this context. On the regional level, the Iraq War and its consequences have been significant. Turkey’s rejection of the motion to allow US troops to open a northern front before the war negatively affected Turkish–US relations but this was readjusted in time. Turkey’s facilitator/mediator role between Syria and Israel (now stalled due to Turkey’s deteriorated relations with Israel since Prime Minister Erdoğan’s Davos row with Shimon Peres and the following Mavi Marmara incident), between Iraq and Syria and between different Lebanese groups has been noteworthy. The Iranian nuclear issue stands out as a controversial point in the region and Turkey’s growing ties with Iran have become important. At the systemic level, developments after 9/11 and democracy promotion policies must be mentioned. In this context the policies of the United States and its regional vision, and how it converges and diverges from that of Turkish policies, are important. The convergences, like Afghanistan, Lebanon and Syria (after 2006) and divergences like Iran should be considered.
