“Türkiye as a Stabilizing Power in a Time of Turmoil”, penned in English by Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun, was published in Azerbaijan, following its initial releases in the US and the UK.
Presidency’s Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun, sent a video message to the launch of book held in Baku by Azerbaijan’s Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center).
In the video message, Director of Communications Altun thanked those who contributed to the translation of the book into Azerbaijani, and stated that Türkiye has experienced a silent revolution over the last 20 years. Recalling that, during this period, unprecedented steps have been taken in every field, from democracy to the economy, infrastructure to communications, security to the defence sector, and energy to education, all under the strong leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Director of Communications Altun went on to say, “On the one hand, while freeing the nation from the chains of tutelage, we established a new political order in which the state keeps an equal distance from all of its citizens. We have enabled our nation to dedicate its time and attention to fundamental issues by taking all of these initiatives."
Director of Communications Altun emphasised that the most significant development in this regard is that Türkiye has begun to pursue a fully independent foreign policy that prioritises its own interests, and has re-established itself as a central actor in the international arena and on the stage of history, and added that all regional and global actors closely follow Türkiye as a result of the advancements made over the past 20 years.
Director of Communications Altun pointed out that this situation also requires an accurate understanding of Türkiye's goals, values and capacity, and said, "My purpose of writing ‘Türkiye as a Stabilizing Power in an Age of Turmoil’ is to provide a realistic analysis for those seeking to understand Türkiye as well as to manifest and present our country's vision of the future of the international order. My book reveals Türkiye's role in stabilizing and restoring order in today's world, where the global system is in a state of turmoil."
Director of Communications Altun stressed that, while Türkiye is undergoing significant transformations as a result of a silent revolution, major changes and transformations are also occurring around the world, and said that the unipolar world order that emerged after the Cold War has been replaced by great power competition due to various factors such as the 9/11 attacks, United States’ invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, economic crises, and technological developments.
"The world is experiencing severe humanitarian crises"
Director of Communications Altun stated that this situation increases the responsibility of regional powers in ensuring or maintaining peace and stability, while requiring all states to increase their self-capacity and prepare for global uncertainty, and said:
"The world is facing serious humanitarian crises unprecedented since World War II. The civil war in Syria, which lasted more than ten years, has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and turned our neighbour into a breeding ground for terrorism and instability. This humanitarian crisis has been worsened by efforts to utilise another terrorist organisation, namely the PKK's Syrian branch YPG, as a subcontractor in the fight against the DAESH terrorist organisation. Although Türkiye opened its doors to asylum seekers as the lives of innocent people were at stake, the insensitivity and the lack of vision of the international community make it impossible to relieve suffering. Finally, we can say that the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected the whole world, has revealed the weakness of international institutions. Remember that when this pandemic first began, some states seized surgical masks, disinfectants, and aid packages sent to other countries and that there was not even toilet paper left in the groceries, especially in European countries. The problems experienced in global supply chains during the same period also prompted doubts about the sustainability of the international order inherited from the 20th century."
Stating that it is impossible to consider the ongoing discussions in isolation from all these developments, Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun said that all these factors should be taken into account while evaluating Türkiye's steps in recent years.
“There is no longer such Türkiye”
Director of Communications Altun stated, "We are filtering these global developments through the lens of our civilisation and insist that we cannot afford to say 'Let sleeping dogs lie' at this crucial juncture in history, stating that 'Türkiye is not the old Türkiye'. Our President also expresses this as 'Türkiye is bigger than Türkiye'" and noted that there are people who are uneasy with Türkiye's refusal to remain introverted. Altun said:
"For twenty years, they have tried to put different labels on the foreign policy vision of our President. At one point, they referred to it as an 'axis shift.' They later invented a concept known as 'neo-Ottomanism.' They now complain about 'expansionism.' Regrettably, they extend beyond our borders. Unfortunately, this bond of love that extends beyond our borders, the realisation that our interests can only be protected beyond our borders, makes some people uneasy and unhappy. Look at those who are disturbed by Türkiye's rise in power, influence, and capability and are also disturbed by our solidarity with Azerbaijan under the guise of opposition and criticism. They say, 'What are the Turkish military forces doing in Libya?' They even dare to oppose our army's fight against terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq under the roof of the Parliament. They desire 'Türkiye's biggest concern is to be how the girls will dress up for school. They want the children of Anatolia to be alone and a pariah in their homeland. They want us to give them what they want and let things not go sour. There is no longer such Türkiye."
Director of Communications Altun pointed out that Türkiye's interests and the interests of humanity fully coincide at the point reached today and said that for this reason, every time and everywhere, they take a stance in favour of peace, justice and international law.
"Remember those who favoured the status quo"
Stating that Türkiye signed a bilateral agreement with Libya and stabilised this critical region at a time when Libya's legitimate government, recognised by the United Nations, faced a coup attempt, and even when the doors of Tripoli were darkened, Altun said, "With the operations, we have carried out in Syria and Iraq, we contribute to the establishment of peace and stability there. While we eliminate the threats targeting our own citizens with the steps we take there, we also give a sigh of relief to those living in the region."
Noting that Azerbaijan achieved unprecedented success by terminating the nearly 30-year occupation in 44 days, Director of Communications Altun emphasised that the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, the heroism of the Azerbaijani army and the sacrifice of the Azerbaijani people played a key role in this success. Director of Communications Altun added:
"Remember those who, at the time, posed as peace advocates and favoured the status quo. They opposed this legitimate struggle against the invaders with various slogans, either because they were useful idiots or because they served the interests of others. As you are aware, it is not legitimate in their world for Turks and Muslims to defend their land and honour. Nonetheless, if diplomacy has regained its functionality today, this is directly attributable to the restoration of injustice in Karabakh. If we win at the table today, it is due to our victory on the ground. With the restoration of justice, it is now possible to "win the peace" together by leaving behind the war period. It will be possible for the Caucasus to become a basin of peace and stability in the 21st century if all states in the region take constructive efforts in accordance with international law and by taking the common interest into account in the future."
Pointing out that international institutions are not functional and effective enough in addressing the root causes of global problems, Director of Communications Altun underlined that strong institutions, particularly the United Nations, should meet the needs of the day and that the reform of the Security Council, which was established in accordance with the circumstances of 1945, is of great importance.
"We call for a sincere reform"
Noting that it is inexplicable that not a single Muslim, African, or South American country is represented among the permanent members today, Director of Communications Altun said, "This is why we insist on using the motto, "The world is bigger than five," which encapsulates our President's approach. In the same way that we signed a grain deal during the Russia-Ukraine crisis and prevented a global food crisis, we call for a sincere reform by putting the interests of humanity ahead of our own."
Pointing out that terrorism remains a threat that affects the entire world, Director of Communications Altun noted that Türkiye suffered greatly from terrorism and that terrorist organisations such as PKK, DAESH, and FETO killed tens of thousands of people and harmed hundreds of thousands of people were harmed by these terrorist attacks.
Stressing that they call on the international community for a sincere fight against terrorism as a country that has gone through this suffering, Director of Communications Altun also indicated that President Erdoğan has clearly stated this on every platform.
Noting that Türkiye has opposed Sweden's and Finland's applications for NATO membership, Director of Communications Altun stated that they sought the extradition of terrorists who continue their activities on their territory and urged these states to stop aiding and abetting terrorist organisations targeting Türkiye. Director of Communications Altun also added:
"Unfortunately, even in the case of terrorism, there were those who accused Türkiye of 'ruining a historical occasion' both at home and abroad. In their earlier statements, the administrators of the relevant countries also said they did not take Türkiye's demands seriously. However, we ultimately signed a tripartite memorandum in Madrid. They committed to meeting our demands there in addition to designating FETO as a terrorist organisation. This process is still ongoing. We are observing and assessing whether the promises made are kept. As you know, these countries have not yet become NATO members. Their application must be ratified by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. Therefore, as our President stated, we will consider actions, not words. We, therefore, hope that the international community will adopt a sincere and determined stance in the fight against all forms of terrorism. States that nurse serpents in their bosoms should understand that they will eventually be struck by the terrorism plague.
"We see anti-Turkish sentiment too as a crime against humanity"
Commenting on Islamophobia, Director of Communications Altun stated that since September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States and the mid-2000s in Europe, we have all seen an escalation in anti-Muslim and anti-Islam sentiment.
Pointing out that populist politicians and far-right movements were gradually increasing their influence in these regions, Director of Communications Altun said:
These persons, once viewed as insane and marginal by the majority, eventually penetrated mainstream politics and even rose to power. A form of hatred initially directed at Jews in the 1930s is now directed at Muslims, particularly Turks. Similarly to how we view anti-Semitism as a crime against humanity, we view Islamophobia, anti-Muslim sentiments, Turkophobia and anti-Turkish sentiments as crimes against humanity and demand that the international community take immediate action against them. We resolutely continue our efforts to keep this issue on the agenda and to raise international awareness about it."
Stating that Türkiye continues to clearly emphasise that peace, stability and prosperity cannot be achieved without achieving global justice, Director of Communications Altun said, "Türkiye, as a significant regional power, is either at the heart of the solution to global problems or contributes significantly to ensuring peace and stability."
Director of Communications Altun's book to be published in Türkiye in October
The book, which examines the stabilising role Türkiye has played in the global system and the challenges it has faced over the last two decades, also reveals the fundamental parameters of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's foreign policy vision.
Director of Communications Altun's book will be published in Turkish in Türkiye next month.