Foreign Policy of Turkey Towards Syria: An Analysis of Post-Cold War Era

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyse a paradigmatic shift in foreign policy of Ankara towards Damascus. In the post-cold war period, Ankara has experienced departure from Kemalist approach to neo-Ottomanism where it edged out form the orbit of influence of United States and pursued a relatively autonomous course of action. With ascendance of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party combined with framework of neo-Ottomanism, Ankara seeks to reinvent its Ottoman grandeur and revival of its regional role. The doctrine of strategic depth seeking zero-problem with neighbouring states. In the wake of 21^st century Ankara moved to de-securitize and normalize its relations with Syria. This strategy was pursued in the line with European Union model aimed at creating free-trade zone based on economic cooperation and regional integration. However, Arab Spring and Syrian conflict proved a strategic turnaround. The Syrian episode allowed the Kurdish nationalist militia to operate with relative autonomy backed by United States in its Southern border after the emergence of ISIS. In the post- cold war period, the geopolitical agenda of Turkey directed towards Syria appears to be reinventing herself in the Middle East through the doctrine of neo-ottomanism. The subject matter is analysed in the theoretical framework of Regional Security Complex Theory and by employing mixed methodology drawing sources from secondary data.