The Middle East and Türkiye Discussed at the Diplomat School

The guests of the third week of the Diplomat School program were former Ambassador to Washington Nüzhet KANDEMİR, Istanbul Member of Parliament and former Turkish Ambassador to Tehran Osman KORUTÜRK and former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Yaşar YAKIŞ.

In the program, Kandemir conveyed his view that Western states did not stand by Türkiye in decision-making processes concerning the Middle East, while Korutürk described the workings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Yakış focused on the UN Charter. 

The participants' views were as follows:

Nüzhet Kandemir:
"There were authoritarian regimes in the Arab countries of the Middle East for many years, and the policies of these countries' leaders had a negative effect on the people. As a result of globalization, the events taking place in the Middle East today have become unstoppable. The focusing of the people's demands for reform and change on the person of the leader has led to divisions within the people themselves.
In the decision-making process, Western superpowers sang Türkiye's praises and made it seem that everything Türkiye said was right; but when it came time to enter the decision-making process, no one stood by Türkiye."

Osman Korutürk: 
"The rules of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are very strict and rigid, and there is no such thing as favoritism. There is a master-apprentice relationship in the Ministry, which is very important in training new generations.
The Republic turned foreign policy into an approach that protects the interests of the country; previously these interests were focused on the 'Sultan.'"  

Yaşar Yakış:
"Under the article on 'respect for human rights and freedoms' in the purposes section of the UN Charter, under the necessary conditions, one country may impose sanctions on another that infringe on its sovereign rights.
Through the principle 'Non-member states shall also act in accordance with these rules,' one of the principles of the UN Charter, the rule of domestic jurisdiction (the prohibition of interference in internal affairs) has eroded over time, as in the example of Palestine.
The Security Council's authority at the UN, 'the maintenance of peace and security,' cannot be shared with anyone."