Neo-Ottomanism

Neo-Ottomanism (Turkish: Yeni Osmanlıcılık) is a Turkish political ideology that in its broadest sense, promotes greater engagement with areas formerly under the Ottoman Empire.

Turgut Özal

The word was neoterized by the Greeks after Turkey landed troops in Cyprus in 1974.^[1]

It has been used to describe Turkish foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party. Neo-Ottomanism is a dramatic shift from the traditional Turkish foreign policy of the Kemalist ideology. The shift in the Turkish foreign policy under Turgut Özal's government can be described as the first step of Neo-Ottomanism.^[2]

Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, and Hossam Zaki, Senior Advisor to the Foreign Minister, Cairo.

The Ottoman Empire, was a great power which, at its peak, controlled the Balkans, most of the modern-day Middle East, and most of North Africa. Neo-Ottomanism policy encourages increased engagement in these regions as part of Turkey’s growing regional influence. Turkey uses its soft power to achieve its goals.^[3] This foreign policy contributed to an improvement in Turkey's relations with its neighbors, particularly with Iraq, Iran and Syria. However, the relations of Turkey with its traditional ally, Israel was strained especially following the Gaza flotilla raid.^{[citation needed]} Foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, is opposed to the use of this term to describe the foreign policy of Turkey under the Justice and Development Party government.^[4] The new foreign policy has started a debate on Western media whether Turkey is undergoing an axis shift, meaning Turkey is drifting away from the transatlantic system and heading towards the Middle East.^[5] President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül dismissed the claims that Turkey has shifted its foreign policy axis.^[6]

Turkey propagates Neo-Ottomanism in Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other former country of Ottoman Empire.

See also

• Foreign relations of Turkey
• Israel–Turkey relations
• Ottomanism

References

1. ^ Kemal H. Karpat, Studies on Ottoman Social and Political History: Selected Articles and Essays, BRILL, 2002, ISBN 9789004121010, p. 524.
2. ^ Murinson, Alexander (December 2009). Turkey's Entente with Israel and Azerbaijan: State Identity and Security in the Middle East and Caucasus (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Politics). Routledge. p. 119. ISBN 0-4157-7892-1. 
3. ^ Taspinar, Omer (September 2008). "Turkey’s Middle East Policies: Between Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalism". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=22209. Retrieved 2010-06-05. 
4. ^ "I am not a neo-Ottoman, Davutoğlu says". Today's Zaman. 25 November 2009. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-193944-i-am-not-a-neo-ottoman-davutoglu-says.html. 
5. ^ "[Comments on discussions regarding a shift of axis]Interpreting foreign policy correctly in the East-West perspective by ADEM PALABIYIK*". Todayszaman.com. 2010-06-29. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-214522-comments-on-discussions-regarding-a-shift-of-axisinterpreting-foreign-policy-correctly-in-the-east-west-perspective-by-adem-palabiyik.html. Retrieved 2010-09-08. 
6. ^ "Claims of axis shift stem from ignorance, bad intentions, says Gül". Today's Zaman. 15 June 2010. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-213148-claims-of-axis-shift-stem-from-ignorance-bad-intentions-says-gul.html.