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Middle East Review of International Affairs
Turkey and Post-Soviet States: Potential and Limits of Regional Power Influence
by Ziya Onis
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Editor's Summary
This article evaluates the strategic character of the Israel-Turkey entente and its regional implications. It assesses the potential consequences of Israeli-Turkish military cooperation and reviews the reactions in the region to the alignment. The article ends with an analysis of how the Israel-Turkish partnership affects U.S. interests in the region.
Introduction
The Soviet Union's breakdown and the emergence of independent states in the Caucasus and Central Asia presented Turkey with a unique opportunity to explore a new role as an influential regional power. Turkey enjoyed ethnic and linguistic ties with five states--Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirgizistan, and Turkmenistan--that seemed to provide a solid foundation for its playing an influential part in shaping their economic development, political direction, and external relations.
Full PDF Document, 9 pages, 58kB
Endnotes:
Note *: Ziya Onis is professor of International Relations, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey. An earlier version of the paper was presented under the title "Turkey and Regional Security in the Middle East and Central Asia" at the Conference on "Economics and Security in the Middle East" organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies and held at Rabat, Morocco, June 27-29, 1999. Back