Balkanalysis.com

Overview

Strategically situated with borders overlapping Europe and Asia, Turkey has geographical and historic connections with the Balkans, the Middle East, Caucasus and Eastern Mediterranean regions. Frequently transformed through millenia of history, this former Hellenistic, Eastern Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman land has always played a vital role in shaping regional events.

Turkey’s historic diversity still registers in a complex cultural identity that blends various ethnic groups and sub-groups with culture and traditions both Turkic and Western alike. Modern Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary and constitutional republic, having successfully transformed itself under the leadership of statesman Mustafa Kemal Atatürk from the religion-based former Ottoman Empire into a modern nation-state.

Although the Turkish Constitution guarantees the separation of state and religion, in practice 99% of the country’s population is registered as Muslim, predominantly Sunni (followed by the Alevis, a branch of Islam similar to Bektashi Sufiism).

Religious minorities include small numbers of Roman Catholics, Armenian Apostolic, Assyrians, Greek Orthodox and Jews. Despite the relatively small number of Greek Orthodox left in Turkey today, the historic relationship between the former capital of the Christian Byzantine Empire remains with the continuing existence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in Istanbul.

With a growing population estimated now at over 72 million, Turkey is becoming an economic and political force, not only in the region but on the larger international stage as well. Under the leadership of the AK Party since 2002 Turkey has taken an increasingly active role in foreign diplomacy involving Balkan issues, the Middle East peace process, and Iran’s nuclear program. While this new Turkish activism is often controversial, both domestically and abroad, there is no question that it reflects the growing confidence of a country poised to make the most of its diplomatic, economic and cultural opportunities in the years ahead.

Outstanding Issues

An unresolved maritime border dispute with Greece; the still closed border with Armenia; the Kurdish separatist issue, and related military operations; the Cyprus dispute.

Forward Planning: Points of Interest

• The government’s role in Turkey’s foreign policy transformation, in relation particularly to former Ottoman countries, along with the impact of the ‘Arab Spring’ on Turkey’s relations with countries like Syria
• The increasing Turkish role in the Middle East, and particularly relations with Israel; also, Turkey’s presence further afield, in Africa and Central Asia
• The Turkish democracy initiative of the ‘Kurdish Opening’ and continued fighting with Kurds in the southeast
• EU relations, especially progress towards visa liberalization
• Turkey’s aim of becoming an energy hub in Eurasia
• Changing perceptions of religion’s role in society and the Turkish historical legacy vis-a-vis the traditional view of the Kemalist state