Director of Communications Altun: "Everyone acknowledges the benefits that Türkiye's friendship will provide. We will strategically and geopolitically utilise the opportunities for change and transformation that the world is about to experience in favour of both our own country and the entire region."
In an interview with Star Açık Görüş, Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun expressed his views on Türkiye's stabilising power, the transformation in foreign policy, Türkiye's efforts toward peace in the Russia-Ukraine War and public diplomacy initiatives.
Talking about Türkiye's stabilising power by referring to his book "Türkiye as a Stabilising Power in an Age of Turmoil", Director of Communications Altun stated that this stabilising power is the one that seeks peaceful resolution of conflicts and crises on the one hand and aims to seek solutions to injustices and problems existing in the system on the other.
Noting that as a stabilising power, Türkiye aims to fight the status quo and the problem that accompanies that situation, Director of Communications Altun said, "Türkiye views the current system as an accomplice at the root of several conflicts and tensions in our region and around the world. In other words, it sees many crises as symptoms of the system. It advocates reforming and rehabilitating this system in order for it to provide solutions rather than problems. In doing so, it also aims to settle current crises and conflicts in the process. As a result, it takes on two independent and challenging missions concurrently. It tackles the symptoms of a diseased system and seeks to heal it."
Pointing out that the countries called rising powers, as well as the Western powers, have significant duties, Director of Communications Altun said that states with influence in the existing system have become part of the problem, not the solution, but that there are few countries among the rising powers that have advanced an alternative in these issues. Pointing out that the international institutions, which were established with the hope of stabilising the world, are not able to fulfil their duties fully today, Director of Communications Altun continued as follows:
"While the UN and NATO exist to accomplish this goal, their success has become questionable at the stage they have reached. All of this truth was finally revealed during the Russo-Ukrainian War. Naturally, these institutions have contributed to global peace and stability and existed as a stabilising power and element in a variety of geographies. However, in the face of global political changes and changes in power balances during the previous three decades, these institutions have been unable to live up to the expectations placed on them. Indeed, international institutions are no longer capable of achieving their stabilising responsibilities. Türkiye is a country that has foreseen and identified the issues in this picture, and our President is a leader who has articulated them on a variety of platforms at the highest level. Our country, which expects international institutions to play a more active and effective role in times of crisis, has not ceased taking the lead in areas where this is not the case. At this point, our country has come to the fore as a stabilising power."
"We are not hesitant to demonstrate our diplomatic power at the negotiating table"
Emphasising that Türkiye contributes to international politics as a stabiliser, facilitating the peaceful resolution of crises and the settlement of issues through a humanitarian approach in circumstances when the UN and NATO are ineffective and their judgments are disregarded, Director of Communications Altun said, "Thanks be to Allah, we have a country that is capable of producing human-oriented solutions without a hidden agenda and strives to put out the fire in geographies where regional or global challenges arise and where humanitarian crises are experienced. By putting justice at the core of solutions to the issues and prioritising peace, tranquillity, and welfare, each move we take contributes to stability. Built on these sensitivities, our policy positions our country as a 'stabilising actor'."
Underlining that Türkiye's rise as a stabilising power is one of the major transformations in diplomacy, Director of Communications Altun said, "We are not hesitant to demonstrate our humanitarian value-oriented soft power in crisis regions, our hard and deterrent power with our military elements in the field, and our diplomatic power at the negotiating table. All these reinforce our ability to be a stabilising force. We have manifested all facets of our humanitarian power, our field power, and our negotiating power in defending our rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, in putting a stop to the persecution of Libyan putschists, and in Azerbaijan's reclaim of the occupied territory. We have seen and are seeing the results of these steps. Türkiye, guided by the values inherited from its history and civilisation, will continue to be the stabilising power of the world and refuge for the oppressed, by pursuing policies that do not jeopardise the rights and interests of our nation.
"We make it clear that we are the worldwide guarantee of peace"
Noting that Türkiye has experienced one of the biggest changes in foreign policy during the previous two decades, Director of Communications Altun said, "Türkiye is no longer a country that plays a role in the game set up by the sovereign powers, but a creator of the game. There is a Türkiye that breaks the games that cause war, misery, and tears in its region, places a premium on human and humanitarian values and pursues a peace centred foreign policy. We make it clear that we are the worldwide guarantee of peace and justice in every geography we reach out to."
Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye, which was previously expected to remain silent even on regional issues and adhere to policies dictated by states thousands of kilometres away, now engages in active diplomacy, expressing its opinion on global issues beyond regional ones, taking action, and putting them into practice. Noting that the architect of this transformation is undoubtedly President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Director of Communications Altun said, "Our President is one of the few leaders capable of fully utilising the opportunities provided by leader diplomacy. This understanding is also a significant asset to our country's diplomacy."
Noting that the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which was held in the previous days, was an indicator of the great change Türkiye experienced in the field of diplomacy, Director of Communications Altun reiterated that they witnessed the pulse of the world-beating in Antalya and that President Erdoğan met with eight heads of state, two prime ministers and two heads of international organisations over four days of intense diplomacy traffic.
Noting that there is intense diplomatic traffic carried out by Türkiye under the leadership of President Erdoğan in order to end the Russia-Ukraine war, Director of Communications Altun made the following assessments:
"Our President is putting forth a sincere effort to bring about peace through his close dialogue with both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky. He made several phone calls to both leaders during this process. Furthermore, we brought the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine together at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. This was the highest-level meeting between the two foreign ministers since the beginning of the conflict. Then, on March 29, we hosted the meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. Particularly, as a result of the meeting in Istanbul, both sides signalled a desire to de-escalate the conflict. The emphasis on 'there will be no losers in a just peace' in our President's opening speech was critical. The outcome of this meeting, which was held in a positive and constructive atmosphere, significantly raised optimism for peace and gave the peace process a vital momentum. This process has demonstrated that Türkiye, which provides stability in its region and worldwide, continues to serve global peace through its people-centred foreign policy."
"Diplomacy mechanism sets an example to the World"
Highlighting that the transformation of Turkish foreign policy has global implications, Director of Communications Altun said, "Our president's admonition that 'The world is bigger than five' had significant ramifications in international diplomacy. 'A fairer world' is also a more widely acknowledged call. The diplomacy mechanism we operate in both bilateral and regional and global issues sets an example to the world."
Addressing Türkiye's diplomatic initiative towards Africa, Director of Communications Altun stated that foreign policy moves towards the African continent, implemented on the basis of win-win and equal partnership, are among the best examples of the transformation and interaction in diplomacy.
"The UN's current structure prevents it from speaking out against the persecutors"
Noting that Russia's attack on Ukraine was another indication of injustice in the global system, Director of Communications Altun said, "The UN, the Council of Europe, the EU, and NATO have all become a mechanism of condemnation. We have seen numerous times that the UN, the legal framework serving the interests of the victorious states after World War II, does not provide a solution but rather a deadlock to global issues with its current structure. We've seen how the UN's permanent membership of one of the warring parties has stymied progress. With this structure, the United Nations is not on the side of the weak, the aggrieved, or the just, but is rather a party to its five, strong, permanent members."
Emphasising that now the UN must establish an order that grants rights to those who deserve them and imposes punishments on those who do wrong without allowing any country to interfere, Director of Communications Altun remarked that other international organisations should either undergo change and transformation on their own or be forced to do so by member states following a comprehensive UN reform.
Arguing that if the UN wants to take a concrete step toward global peace, it must first reform its structure, Director of Communications Altun said:
"We see that one of the five permanent UN members can be found in troubled regions when the traces of the world's problems and persecuted people are tracked. From this perspective, the UN's current structure prevents it from speaking out against the persecutors. Our President's call is to object to the oppression at this point. It is an objection to the functioning of the global system established by five countries and to global injustices. We make our objection, express our criticism boldly and offer the solution. We propose increasing the authority of the UN General Assembly, reducing the authority of the Security Council, and electing 20 permanent members of the Security Council from the General Assembly rather than just five. We witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic that the United Nations was insufficient and could not even assist countries that did not have access to vaccines at all. Considering everything, we are convinced that our President's calls for a UN reform are both justified and necessary."
"Everyone acknowledges the benefits that Türkiye's friendship will provide"
Stating that at this point, numerous problems remain unsolved in many parts of the world, resulting in grave humanitarian crises, and international organisations are dysfunctional, unable to make decisions or implement their decisions, Director of Communications Altun said that there is an inertia at the point of taking steps against this. Noting that in such a situation as Türkiye, they also have produced and continue to produce solutions to global issues beyond regional issues, Director of Communications Altun continued:
"Our country has supplied medical aid to 160 countries and dozens of international organisations in the fight against the coronavirus, where the UN and the World Health Organization have been insufficient. We alone have taken responsibility for refugee and migrant problems that affect not only a part of the world but the whole world. Today, we are the country hosting the largest number of refugees in the world. Lastly, we continue our sincere efforts to stop the war between Ukraine and Russia and prevent a humanitarian crisis. As Türkiye, we continue to do our best at the diplomatic level to prevent the conflict between the two countries from turning into a global disaster. If Türkiye's warnings about the structure of the UN had been taken into consideration, I think we would not have encountered a result such as Russia's attack on Ukraine and the emigration of millions of people. We want our policies and the arguments we voiced to be justified without having to face any bitter experiences. Before the issue of refugees and immigration from Syria and Afghanistan was resolved, a new wave of refugees emerged. The disparity in treatment of Ukrainian and other refugee populations demonstrates, unfortunately, that Europe has yet to learn its lesson."
Director of Communications Altun stated that they have called the world to engage in a genuine political and humanitarian confrontation, and they have reiterated their call to stand by countries like Türkiye that offer viable solutions. Underlining that Türkiye has always advocated for regional and global peace and stability, Director of Communications Altun said:
"Of course, there has been no retreat from our rights, but we have always made it clear that a sincere dialogue to resolve problems is welcome. We emphasised a collective win in a fair way. We are pleased to realise that no regional or global issue can be resolved without Türkiye's involvement. Everyone acknowledges the benefits that Türkiye's friendship will provide. This is why the countries with which we have disagreements tend to gravitate towards the door of dialogue that Türkiye has always maintained open and enter into a race to resolve problems and increase cooperation. Inshallah, we will use the opportunities of change and transformation that the world is undergoing, strategically and geopolitically, in favour of both our own country and our entire region. Türkiye's strategic location makes it a key country in many regions. With this awareness, we are preparing our country for the future under the leadership of our President."
"West's ambivalent 'That which is not like me is a threat' perspective must change"
Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that no country can entirely isolate itself from the rest of the world, Director of Communications Altun said, "The most important lesson that I hope humanity has learned from this process is the realisation that cooperation and solidarity are indispensable."
Saying that the current crisis has worsened because of the long-term economic problems that the world has been experiencing and the new developments brought on by the pandemic, Director of Communications Altun made the following evaluations:
"It is difficult to conclude that the world has realised that it is prone to pandemics and the subsequent economic and social crises with the current mentality and structures. Even in this process, we have witnessed inhumane policies such as discrimination. The West, in particular, must understand that establishing a more durable and representative world order requires respect. But the events show that the West does not understand this. Some footage recorded after Russia's attack on Ukraine proved this to us. While it was easier for Ukrainians to move to Europe, those of Middle Eastern and African origins found that they were denied the same opportunities. The West cannot establish an order that protects everyone's rights and interests. The West does not seem to be able to analyse the causes of the crisis well, nor does it seem to have learned from its consequences. Primarily, the West should adopt cooperation instead of domination, solidarity instead of competition. Under many of the global crises lies the ambivalent and 'That which is not like me is a threat' perspective of the Western civilisation and the international organisations that produce deadlock. First, this perspective must change. Organisations that cannot contribute to the international order should be reformed, and mechanisms based on equal partnership should be established. There should be supply chains in place which also benefit disadvantaged countries."
"We fight against anti-Türkiye disinformation campaigns effectively"
Mentioning the progress Türkiye has made in the field of public diplomacy, Director of Communications Altun stated that they are going through the busiest period in the Republic's history in public diplomacy. Stating that their work in this period was completed with the preparation of the "National Public Diplomacy Strategy Paper and Action Plan', Türkiye's first policy paper in public diplomacy, Director of Communications Altun said, while they carry out the public diplomacy task as the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, on the one side, they fight against disinformation and black propaganda against Türkiye, and on the other, they carry out activities to empower the Türkiye brand and Türkiye's reputation.
Noting that lobbying and investments in critical actors have gained importance in the field of public diplomacy, Director of Communications Altun emphasised that Türkiye is determined to continue its pioneering and active role in foreign policy. Director of Communications Altun pointed out that while doing all these, they built "Türkiye's Communication Model" and emphasised that they are waging a great struggle to protect Türkiye, one of the countries targeted by global disinformation, from disinformation campaigns. Director of Communications Altun said:
"With the development we have experienced in the last 20 years and the differentiation of our policies in every field from the past, we have become a targeted country. The enemies of Türkiye have put our country at the centre of disinformation campaigns by mobilising all their means. One of our primary duties is to protect our country and nation from this policy of lies and perception operations. Furthermore, we are waging a determined struggle against them on all platforms. One of the areas in which our foreign policy has transformed is the effective fight against disinformation. We continue our effective fight against anti-Türkiye disinformation campaigns, both at home and abroad."