The Turkish Dilemma

Unveiling the Southern Corridor

Resumo

Turkey’s pragmatic “zero problems with neighbours” foreign policy provided an opportunity to increase its relevance in the international community. More than a possible role model to the “Arab Spring” freedom movements, Turkey became a reference as an Islamist, secular and democratic country, ready to assume a position as a regional interlocutor, and a bridge between the European Union and the United States of America. This article identifies the conception and evolution of this new Turkish foreign policy, and the real influence that Ankara is having from Afghanistan to Northern Africa. The importance of this “Southern Corridor” will be proved by Ankara’s capability in persuading and inf luencing regional and global actors under a long term framework, independent of the country’s internal situation. This requires a foreign policy able to sever former options being this the great Turkish dilemma.