Turkey Needs to Rethink Policy Toward Its Fractious Neighbors
Turkey instituted a policy of “zero problems” with its neighbors a decade ago, an integrated foreign policy in which soft power is balanced with core security interests and which served Turkey well for a time. Current security, economic and political stakes in Syria and Iran, however, may require Ankara to change its philosophy. Kadir Ustun reports.
When Turkey devised a policy of “zero problems” with its neighbors a decade ago, the decision was based on necessity, not necessarily on choice.
In the 1990s, Turkey considered virtually all its neighbors to be potential enemies who might support Kurdish militants of the PKK and its intention to carve out a separate state in Turkey’s southeast.
Turkey expended enormous financial and human resources trying to curb PKK activities both in Turkey and in neighboring countries including Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The 90s proved to be a lost decade for Turkey, as the country could not move forward in spite of significant assets such as a young population and a strategic location.
The issue of Kurdish separatism dominated Turkey’s bilateral relationships and international engagements during this period. This severely undercut Turkey’s prospects to join the European Union as well as its economic growth, democratic credentials, human rights record and overall foreign relations.
