Preserving Common Ties: Turkey’s Public Diplomacy in Central Asia
Preserving Common Ties: Turkey’s Public Diplomacy in Central Asia

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to analyse and assess the effectiveness of activities undertaken by Turki-sh public diplomacy organisations in Central Asia. Since the Justice and Development Party (AKP)came to power in Turkey in 2002, the state’s foreign policy doctrine has changed profoundly. Thenew government has adopted a program of active and multifaceted diplomacy, seeking to improvemutual relations with neighbouring regions (i.e. Middle East, North Africa, Balkans, Caucasus,Central Asia). Historical, social and cultural references play an extremely important role in theAKP’s political strategy, and numerous public diplomacy organisations promote Turkish regionalcooperation initiatives on behalf of the authorities in Ankara. In Central Asia, institutions suchas the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, the International Organisation of TurkicCulture, the Yunus Emre Institute, the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, ensure that ties between Turkey and countries of the region are being preserved. By utilisingTurkish soft power potential, these organisations support traditional diplomatic services in im-plementing Turkey’s foreign policy objectives.

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