From Iraq War to Syrian Crisis: Turkey’s Foreign Policy in Transition

ResearchTurkey : Mr. Yaşar Yakış Interview  – AnalizTürkiye Sayın Yaşar Yakış Röportajı

“UK is the optimal country that would diagnose and situate Turkey both its global role and its role in the European Union.” “If we finalize this agreement on facilitating the visa application process, this means that we are taking a step back, because visa exemption is our right.” “There is no sacrifice from the strategic decision on Turkey’s EU membership… The enthusiasm may have decreased but it is not at a point that we would give up.”

“Regarding Turkey’s bid for EU membership, in the future, we can put forward more achievements with fewer compromises.” “Transformation of Turkish foreign policy in line with the concept of “soft power” would be quite appropriate and well- directed.” “I believe that the rejection of the bill to send troops to Iraq in 2003 was better to show that Turkey had a more honourable stance. So I am not standing by the ones who said, “I wish we had entered into Iraq.” “During the crisis of memorandum in 2003, US put pressure on Turkey”

“The story of horse trading: They really make a fine adjustment on Turkey like, ‘Let’s create an image that Turkey is after the money’. Plus the opposition party had a great opportunity and claimed that Turkey had been doing horse trading.”

“If it would be chaos for the country, after the Assad Regime the first country would suffer from this situation is Syria, and the second one is definitely Turkey.”

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