Preview

MGIMO Review of International Relations

Advanced search

THE “SOFTPOWER” POLICY OF TURKEY TOWARDS GEORGIA

https://doi.org/10.24833/2071-8160-2016-2-47-72-79

Abstract

South Caucasus throughout history was at the epicenter of clashes of different religions, civilizations, nations and states. At present moment the interests of both regional (Turkey, Iran) and global actors (the United States, NATO, the EU, Russia and others.) intersect in the region. Global transformations, changing power relations in international relations have their direct influence on the political processes taking place in the region. These processes are also linked with the activities of Turkey, which aspire to regional leadership. It is Georgia, which serves as a corridor between Turkey and states of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Turkey spreads its influence in Georgia in almost all areas using economic, military and political tools, as well as the Russian-Georgian deteriorated relations. To achieve its goals, Turkey is actively pursuing a strategy of "soft power", which further strengthens its influence in the country. Public diplomacy is a part of soft power, which also ensures the formation of a positive and attractive image of Turkey in Georgia. This article investigates the contemporary policy of "soft power" of Turkey towards Georgia. It analyses the basic tools, institutions and the direction of this policy, actively implemented by the Republic of Turkey. Particular attention is paid to the activities of the Gulen Movement in Georgia. The author makes general conclusions regarding the effectiveness of this policy.

About the Author

L. M. Aleksanyan
Diplomats Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Russian Federation

Postgraduate at Politology and Political Philosophy Chair,

119992, Moscow, Ostozhenka Street 53/2, Building 1



References

1. Avatkov V.A. Neoosmanizm: Bazovaia ideologema I strategia Turtsii [Neoosmanizm. Basic ideology and geostrategy of the contemporary Turkey]. Svobodnaia misl’, 2014, no. 3, pp. 71–78. Available at: http://svom.info/entry/458-neoosmanizm/ (Accessed: 27.02.2016). (In Russian).

2. Avatkov V.A. Vneshnepoliticheskaia linia Turetskoy Respubliki v otnoshenii stran Zakavkaz’ia v kontekste vneshnepoliticheskoi ideologii Turtsii [Turkish policy towards the South Caucasus states in the context of foreign policy course of Turkish republic]. Ejegodnik IMI, 2014, vol. 2 (8), pp. 13–21. Available at: http://www.old.mgimo.ru/files2/2015_06/up0/file_03a21e4e99303bb787920a5f39252400.pdf (Accessed 02.03.2016). (In Russian).

3. Avatkov V.A. Turtsia –novyi pokrovitel’ Gruzii? [Is Turkey a new promoter of Georgia?]. MGIMO, 24.09.2013. Available at: http://old.mgimo.ru/news/experts/document241733.phtml (Accessed 21.05.2015). (In Russian).

4. Avatkov V.A., Badranov A.Sh. “Miagaia sila” Turtsii vo vnutrennei politike Rossii [Turkey’s soft power in Russia’s internal policy]. Pravo I Upravlenie. XXI vek, 2013, no. 2 (27), pp. 5–10. Available at: http://mgimo.ru/upload/iblock/4d2/4d2730cc8f8135bc511ebff38dc313d5.pdf (Accessed 01.03.2016). (In Russian).

5. Avatkov V.A. Ivanova N. Rossia I Turtsia: protivostoianie ideology [Russia and Turkey: ideological confrontation]. Svobodnaia misl’, 2012, no. 9–10, pp. 187–196. Available at: http://svom.info/entry/288-rossiya-iturciya-protivostoyanie-ideologij (Accessed 19.03.2016). (In Russian).

6. Aleksanyan L.M. Gruzino-musul’manskoe men’shistvo (chveneburi) v Turtsii: Istoria, tekushaiasituacia [Chveneburis’ minority (muslim Georgians) in Turkey: History, current situation. Voprosi vostokovedenia, 2015, no. 9, pp. 165–198. Available at: http://publications.ysu.am/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/10Larisa-Aleqsanyan.pdf (Accessed 14.12.2015) (In Armenian).

7. Vneshnepoliticheskyi diskurs vedushchikh subiektov turetskoi politiki (2010 – leto 2015) [Foreign policy discourse of leading actors of Turkish policy]. Ed. by Avatkov V.A. Мoscow, “Pablis” Publ., 2015, 88 p. (In Russian).

8. Gruzia ejemesiachno poluchit 1 mln lari dokhoda ot tranzita elektroenergii [Georgia will receive a monthly 1 mlnlari income from transit of electricity]. Informatsionno-analiticheskii portal Gruziia Online, 08.02.2016. Available at: http://www.apsny.ge/2016/eco/1454958729.php (Accessed 17.03.2016). (In Russian).

9. Davidov M.N. Deiatel’nost’ turetskoi religioznoi sekti “Nurjular” [Activity of Turkish religious sect “Nurjular”]. Institut Blizhnego Vostoka. Available at: http://www.iimes.ru/rus/stat/2007/03-11-07b.htm (Accessed 05.03.2016). (In Russian).

10. Drujilovskyi S.B. Turtsia: Privichka upravliat’ [Turkey: Habite of control]. Rossia v global’noi politike, 13.12.2005. Available at: http://www.globalaffairs.ru/number/n_5965 (Accessed 12.03.2016). (In Russian).

11. Drujilovskyi S.B., Avatkov V.A. Vneshnepoliticheskie ideologemi Turtsii (2002 – 2012) [Foreign policy courses of Turkey (2002 –2012)]. Obozrevatel’ – Observer, 2013, no. 6, pp. 73–88. (In Russian).

12. Nadein-Raevskyi V.A. Ideologicheskaia perestroika I stolknovenie politicheskikh interesov v Turtsii [Ideological “Perestroika” and clash of political interests in Turkey]. Turtsia: novie realii vo vnutrennei politike I uchastie v regional’nikh geopoliticheskikh protsessakh [Turkey: new realities in internal policy and participation in regional geopolitical processes]. Мoscow, MGIMO-Universitet, 2014, vol. 27, pp. 141–154. MGIMO. Available at: http://mgimo.ru/files2/y12_2014/263578/imi-27.pdf (Accessed 17.03.2016). (In Russian).

13. Nadein-Raevskyi V.A. Turtsia v poiskakh novikh geopoliticheskikh vektorov I stsenariev [Turkey in the seeking of new geopolitical vectors and scripts]. Geopolitica 14.09.2012. Available at: http://www.geopolitics.ru/2012/09/turciya-v-poiskax-novyx-geopoliticheskix-vektorov-i-scenariev/ (Accessed 17.03.2016). (In Russian).

14. Ovsepyan L. Giulenskoe dvijenie v Azerbaidjane: sovremennaia situatsia I tendentsii [Gulen movement in Azerbaijan: the current situation and trends]. Fond Noravank, 17.06.2013. Available at:http://www.noravank. am/rus/articles/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=7130 (Accessed 16.12.2014). (In Russian).

15. Safonkina E. A. Turtsia kak novyi actor politiki miagkoi sili [Turkey as a new actor of soft power policy]. Vestnik mejdunarodnikh organizatsyi – International organizations research journal: education, science, new economy, 2014, no. 2, vol. 9, pp. 145 – 166. (In Russian).

16. Aliyev F. The Gülen movement in Azerbaijan. Current trends in Islamist ideology, vol. 14, pp. 90–103. Available at: http://www.hudson.org/content/researchattachments/attachment/1160/20130124_ct14aliev.pdf (Accessed 02.03.2016).

17. Emel Parlar Dal Assessing Turkey’s «normative» Power in the Middle East and North Africa Region: New Dynamics and their imitations. Turkish studies, 2013, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 709–734. Available at: http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/14683849.2013.861113 (Accessed 25.03.2016).

18. Ivanov V. Religious dimension of Turkey’s policy in Ajaria and the Georgian Orthodox church. Central Asia and the Caucasus, 2011, vol. 12, iss. 3, pp. 79–90. (In Russian)

19. Kasatkin P., Avatkov V. The soft power of migration – a hard task for the European union. Defense & Security Analysis, 2014, pp. 1–12. MGIMO. Available at: http://www.old.mgimo.ru/files2/2014_09/up52/file_06448f c9f9e6facb12ddb295f27b93e6.pdf (Accessed 21.03.2016).

20. Kononczuk W., A Caucasian All? Turkish – Georgian Relations. Chapter III, Raport OSW / Center for Eastern Studies Report, Warsaw, July 2008. Pp. 31–40. Available at: http://mercury.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/90017/ichaptersection_singl edocument/ce799de1-33da-4f8a-8188-ec80eb6dac9b/en/3+from+Turkey+after+negotiations-3.pdf (Accessed 04.05.2015).

21. External Trade. National Statistics Office of Georgia (Statistical survey on external economic activities). Available at: http://www.geostat.ge/index.php?action=page&p_id=137&lang=eng (Accessed 20.03.2016).

22. Foreign Direct Investments. National Statistics Office of Georgia (Statistical survey on external economic activities). Available at: http://www.geostat.ge/index.php?action=page&p_id=140&lang=eng (Accessed 20.03.2016).

23. Ter-Matevosyan V. Cooperation paradigms in the South Caucasus: Making sense of Turkish-Georgian relations. Varia, 2014. No. 4. Pp. 103-125. Études arméniennes contemporaines. Available at: https://eac.revues. org/689#tocto1n3 (Accessed 26.01.2016).

24. Yeşiltaş M. The transformation of the geopolitical vision in Turkish foreign policy. Turkish Studies, 2013, vol. 14, no. 4. pp. 661–687. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14683849.2013.862927 (Accessed 02.03.2016).

25. Osman Aircraft. Çavuşoğlu: Projelerimiz sadeje bizi deghil Avrupa ve Asia’yi da ilgilendiriyor [Çavuşoğlu: We are not only interested, but Europe and Asia are also interested in our projects]. Cihan News Agency, Tbilisi, 02.19.2016. Available at: https://www.cihan.com.tr/tr/cavusoglu-projelerimiz-sadece-bizi-degil-avrupa-veasyayi-da-ilgilendiriyor-2017779.htm (Accessed 16.03.2016). (In Turkish)


Review

For citations:


Aleksanyan L.M. THE “SOFTPOWER” POLICY OF TURKEY TOWARDS GEORGIA. MGIMO Review of International Relations. 2016;(2(47)):72-79. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24833/2071-8160-2016-2-47-72-79

Views: 1754


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.


ISSN 2071-8160 (Print)
ISSN 2541-9099 (Online)