Turkish President Abdullah Gul attended and addressed the UN General Assembly. As things stand, Turkey has not achieved what it sought with its Syria policy. Bashar al-Assad is still in power. In a way, Turkey seems to have withdrawn from the Syria issue for the time being. According to academic and journalist Hasan Bulent Kahraman, who accompanied Gul to New York, Turkey can’t forecast how the Syrian issue will shape up while new groups emerge by the day.

Turkey actually lives the Syria case. It is enough to know that the largest Arab Alawite population is in Turkey. Then, of course, there is a massive Syrian refugee presence in Turkey.

Turkish journalists who traveled with the presidential delegation had a chance for a long discussion with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on the way. Ever the academic, Davutoglu offered comprehensive and analytical opinions. 

This was a discussion primarily on Middle East issues, particularly on Syria. The roles of the United States and Russia in recent developments were also on the table. Davutoglu’s narrative showed that Turkish foreign policy and political finesse is significantly deeper than what is seen from outside. But, it is clear that there is a problem. Davutoglu passionately and persuasively defends the policy he follows, but it is not all that easy to say that his arguments dictate the course of developments on the ground, at least for now.