Summaries from International Relations Section
The Nagorno-Karabakh Issue (2020)
The study titled the Nagorno-Karabakh Issue is about the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is a part of Azerbaijani territory, by Armenia. This study examines the historical emergence of the current issue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and discusses the stages they have gone through until today. Azerbaijani and Armenian theses about Nagorno-Karabakh's history and legal situation are put forward, Turkey's approach to the problem is discussed. In addition, the stages of the efforts of the international community to solve the problem are examined. In the annexes of the study, current developments regarding the problem are given in detail.
The Golan Heights Issue (2020)
The Golan Heights, belonging to Syria, has been a conflict area between Syria and Israel since the establishment of Israel (1948). In the 1967 Arab Israeli War, Israel occupied the Golan Heights. Since 1967, Syria has been trying to liberate its own lands from occupation. For Syria, the desire to libarete the occupied Golan Heights from occupation was the main reason for the 1973 Arab Israel War. However, after the 1973 War, Israel’s occupation in the Golan Heights continued. The United Nations adopted resolutions to end the occupation of Israel. However, Israel did not comply with any of these resolutions. During the late 1970s and 1980s, Syria waged a proxy war against Israel, especially in Lebanon. After the collapse of Soviet Union and the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, Syria held peace talks with Israel throughout the 1990s. These negotiations, which continued until the death of Hafez Assad in 2000, could not be achieved. Bashar Assad, who took over the power, also attempted to negotiate with Israel in order to take the Golan Heights, but could not succeed. The situation regarding the occupied Golan Heights has became more complicated in 2019. In 1981 Israil annexed ocuppied Golan Heights, which was contrary to international law and in 2019, the United States declared that it recognized Israel's decision to annex the occupied Golan Heights. Now, it seems even more difficult for Syria to take occupied Golan Heights back.
Updating of the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU (2020)
After Turkey applied for associate membership to European Economic Community (EEC) in 1959, the Ankara Agreement was signed in 1964. In this agreement, known as the Partnership Agreement, three stages were envisaged as preparation, transition and final stage in order to achieve full membership on the basis of the establishment of a Customs Union for Turkey. The completion of the Customs Union was at the last stage that started with the Decision of the Association Council No. 1/95 come into force on January 1, 1996. In 1999, Helsinki Summit approved the nomination of Turkey and negotiations started on October 3, 2005. During the negotiation process, 16 out of a total 35 chapters have been opened and only one has been temporarily closed so far. The last chapter was opened in 2016.
Although the stages foreseen for membership are completed, Turkey has not become a full member of European Union (EU) and so does not have the rights of a full member. The partnership based on the Customs Union between Turkey and EU still operates according to the Association Council Decision 1/95. Researches have been made that this Decision does not function well enough in today’s changing economic conjuncture and has some issues to the detriment of both sides. Studies suggest that the Customs Union should be updated by removing its deficiencies and reach its full potential, and it is even considered that the expansion of economic integration by increasing the sectors included in the Customs Union will positively reflect on today's changing commercial relations.
