TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS BALKANS: ALBANIA

Abstract

This paper investigates Turkish foreign policies towards Balkans in general and Albania in particular. It is clear that there is not a great deal of academic study conducted on this topic.The purpose of this study is to shed light on Turkish foreign policy towards Balkans in general and Albania in particular which has been misunderstood recently. In other words, the paper tries to find answers for these questions, within the Balkan scope: is the Turkish foreign policy in the 21st century 'new Ottomans'? What haschanged in Turkish foreign policy since 2002? It is important to note that this research adapts quantitative and content analyses.However, some data concerning of export-import and foreign aid is quantitative innature. These data would be collected from official government sources.Initially, the paper starts using a historical narrative in order to establish a clearand meaningful theoretical approach for Turkish foreign policies during the 20th Century. Then it is compares this with the 'new Turkish foreign policy' towards Balkans in 21st Century to observe whether any changes have taken place.Secondly, the paper investigates the tools of foreign policy and their contributions to the decision making process of Turkish foreign policy. These include economic developments and foreign aid, export-import regimes as well as cultural relationships with these countries. As a consequence of these, the paper answers thequestion: what is the Turkish perception concerning foreign policy? Thirdly, the paper tries to bring various discussions on 'new Ottomans' of Turkish foreign policy. Then the research wraps up all these discussions to weigh up their truth values. If there is no truth in them, then why do many people want to continue to keep the matter alive?Finally, the paper concludes its findings and results with discussions and further suggestions.