The Relations between Turkey and the Caucasus

Authors : Bülent ARAS, Pınar AKPINAR

Pages : 53-68

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Publication Date : 2011-10-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article examines Turkish foreign policy towards the Caucasus and argues that Turkey regards the region as a land of opportunity and influence. It first looks into the transformation of Turkish foreign policy in the last decade and its subsequent impact on its policy towards the countries in the Caucasus, namely Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. The article argues that Turkey’s international stance has been repositioned from being the “buffer-zone” of the Cold War, to the “model country” of the postSoviet era and finally to the “central country” of the new international order, which influenced its policy towards the Caucasus. Finally, the article posits that Turkey is an energy corridor which connects the region to Europe and effective use of energy resources and healthy integration of the region to the world economy would bring peace and stability to the Caucasus
Keywords : Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Caspian energy, Turkish Armenian protocols