The Evolution of Turkish Foreign Policy After 2002 and EU Relations
Türk Dış Politikasının 2002 Sonrası Evrimi ve AB İlişkileri

Author : Orhan BATTIR
Number of pages : 80-97

Abstract

Since the late Ottoman period, Turkey-West relations evolving in the frameworks of Westernism, Westernization, Europeanization and finally the process of full membership to the European Union (EU) were one-dimensional and passive as far as Turkey concerned. The most important factor in this negative course of relations is that Turkey was not strong enough and could not act independently in politic and economic sense. In addition to its politically and economically fragile structure, due to its asymmetric dependence on the different actors of the global system it is not possible to say that, Turkey was able to become an effective actor in the international arena until 2000s. Turkey, which has been increasing in strength and effectiveness in the internal and international systems in recent years, has experienced a multifaceted, dynamic and proactive foreign policy implementations involving alternative orientations. Thus, dimensions of the Turkey's relationships with own region, West/Europe and the world have changed and opened door to very different and important achievements. However, despite all these positive developments, there is no way to say that Turkey-EU relations are at the desired level and without problems. This study aims to reveal the basic dynamics of recent developments in Turkish foreign policy and the effects on the full membership process to the EU, which has been continuing for more than half a century.

Keywords

Turkish foreign policy, Westernization Europeanization, full membership to the EU, opening policies

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