Change in the Turreky’s Balkan policy of Turkey under the rule of the Justice and Development Party: the Davutoğlu effect

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the analysis of Turkey's foreign policy aimed at achieving regional leadership after the Cold War, as well as the changes that took place therein under the rule of the Justice and Development Party) since 2002. The author describes the principles of Turkey's policy in the Balkans under the rule of the Justice and Development Party, which are founded on the doctrine of strategic depth proposed by Ahmet Davutoğlu in 2001, who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2009 (until 2014). The following questions arise: are the political priorities and goals outlined in the theory compatible with the Turkey’s foreign policy in the Balkans, which holds an important place in the doctrine; and what is the impact of the neo-Ottoman approach adopted in relation to Muslim communities in the Balkans affect the policy conducted against the non-Muslim communities? Besides the Davutoğlu’s doctrine, the article employs archival documents obtained from the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, as well as publications and books by various Turkish and foreign experts that allow reconstructing the true picture of events. The goal of this work is to comprise a broad picture of Turkey's position on the international arena in the 2000s and foreign policy perception of the Justice and Development party overall. In this regard, analysis is conducted on Turkey’s interests in the Balkans and the policy for achieving them under the rule of the Justice and Development Party.