Βy Ahval
U.S. state overseas broadcaster Voice of America wrote that there are rumours that Turkey might seek non-alignment.
This would mean ending the relationships it has with NATO and the European Union in favour of a transactional foreign policy on all sides, along the lines of Turkmenistan in central Asia.
The greater flexibility such a policy would grant Turkey could reduce tensions in the West over the country’s warmer relationship with Russia, as well as over their former ally’s social and political rights record.
One thing encouraging the speculation are the increased calls from U.S. politicians for sanctions on Turkey prompted by the two aforementioned issues.
“I have openly told him [U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo] that sanctions should not be on the agenda,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said. “These would trigger countersteps from us that would not be in our interests.”
“The S-400 sale is done,” he added. “We can only talk about what we can do with the U.S. in the subsequent process.”
Voice of America quoted presidential adviser Ayşe Sözen Usluer as saying that Turkey is already non-aligned in terms of mindset.
“For the last 10 to 15 years in particular, Turkey has not felt the need to choose between the West and the East, or between the U.S. and Russia,” she said. “Turkey no longer sees its foreign policy within the framework of the Cold War or East versus West alliances.”
