Turkey’s “zero problems” foreign policy 

Whereas the U.S. has a common border with only Mexico and Canada, with whom it has good relations, Turkey is located at the crossroads of the volatile Balkans, the Middle East and the Caucasus. It shares a common border with Greece, Armenia, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, and looks across the Black Sea to Russia and the Mediterranean to Cyprus. At various times in recent history, Turkey has had conflicts with all of them.

In 2002 the Justice and Development [“AK”] Party, took power in Turkey. Since then, Turkey has embarked on a foreign policy called “zero problems policy with neighbors.” Its purpose is to develop friendly relations with all of them and, by doing so, not only eliminate old sources of friction and distrust between them but also position Turkey to serve as an intermediary to help settle regional problems and internal disputes that have bedeviled such countries as Bosnia, Iraq, and Israel/Palestine.

Five operational principles have guided Turkey’s foreign policy-making process. The first is domestic, since a country’s strength abroad ultimately rests on its strength at home. It tries to balance security and democracy. Turkey has a large Kurdish minority that has demanded greater freedom to use its language and participate in politics. Earlier refusal to permit this led to a multi-year “war on terror” that pitted the Turkish Army against Kurdish PKK rebels. This has ended. Now Turkey is trying to incorporate the Kurds into the political process.

Second, Turkey has moved to improve relations with Greece, Syria, Iraq, and Iran and to open talks with neighboring Armenia. It has developed warm relations with age-old enemy Russia. As relations have improved, trade has blossomed. Turkish companies are involved in major construction projects throughout the region, and Turkish products are much in demand.

Third, Turkey engages in pre-emptive peace diplomacy, by which it aims to avert crises before they escalate to a critical level. It mediated between Syria and Israel and tried to bring about Sunni-Shiite reconciliation in Iraq and between Lebanese and Palestinian factions. Along with Brazil, it offered its good offices to reprocess Iran’s nuclear fuel, thereby reducing the danger that Iran would use it for producing nuclear weapons. While not all of these efforts succeeded, they demonstrate Turkey’s growing regional influence and its acceptability as a trusted mediator.

Fourth, Turkey views its foreign policy as multi-dimensional, not as a “zero-sum” game. Thus, it maintains a strategic relationship with the U.S. through bilateral ties and as a member of NATO, while simultaneously pressing for admission to membership in the European Union and for stronger relations with Russia. Turkey regards these policies not as contradictory but as complementary: Turkey as “bridge”.

Finally, it aspires to a more active role in international organizations and on issues of global importance. It was a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, chaired a forum for dialogue among Balkan states, and participates in the G-20 economic forum and the Arab League. In the ongoing Libyan conflict, it has played a prominent role in evacuating civilians and providing medical care.

While its “zero problems” foreign policy has not achieved universal success – Cyprus, Armenia, and, recently, Israel are exceptions- it has raised the respect with which Turkey is held and provided a platform for expanding its reputation worldwide. In coming years, we can anticipate a growing role for Turkey on the world stage.

Martin Charwat

Martin Charwat is a Past-President of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley and has visited Turkey twice in recent years.