The Strategic Case for Engaging Kazakhstan By Meymet Enes Beşer In the wake of the changing framework of international geopolitics and economic restructuring, the physical space between Central Asia and Southeast Asia—hitherto geographically circumscribed—is narrowing extremely quickly. As Central Asia’s economic and transport center, Kazakhstan is a strategically crucial gateway into the heartland of Eurasia. To ASEAN, to which decades ...

Protests, financial turmoil and a government crisis. By Odile Mojon-Cheminade While Germany has been Europe’s economic engine in recent decades, France has traditionally been its political, cultural, and military heart. Political because of the balancing role it used to play, plus as a permanent member of the UN Security Council; cultural because of its universalist vision; and military because of ...

Interview given to Turkish TV Channel Meltem TV Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), proposed the “Türkiye-Russia-China [TRC] alliance” to counter what he described as the “US–Israel evil coalition”. Surprising to many, Bahçeli’s call stirred a new wave of debate in the country’s alignments and position in the international system. UWI author, political scientist Onur ...

The wires are laid. The technology is tested. Now, all it takes is the political will to connect the dots. By Mehmet Enes Beşer As Southeast Asia races to keep pace with surging energy demand amidst a global decarbonization wave, one question looms over the region: how can the region deliver clean, cheap, and secure electricity at scale over a ...

Interview with Dr. Afifeh Abedi, director of the Iran View 24 news website. By Azad Maldavan, from Tehran / Iran Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, following his meeting in Cairo with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, clearly stated that the facts have changed, and that Iran is allowing Agency inspectors to visit only the Bushehr power ...

Embracing Decentralization towards a Green Future By Mehmet Enes Beşer The regional energy giant of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, is at the crossroads of its energy future. Its history of dependency on fossil fuels led by coal has driven economic development at the cost of environmental degradation and escalating greenhouse gas emissions. In answer to global climate imperatives, not to mention ...

Interview with Lichen Ullmann, coordinator at Vredesactie. Conflict and militarization is advancing in the policies and practices of the European Union and NATO. But social resistance is also increasing. We spoke about the political context of militarization, its connection to Israel and actions against it with Lichen Ullmann, coordinator of the Vredesactie, a Belgian NGO struggling against militarization. Where do ...

Interview with Venezuela’s ambassador to Türkiye. By Adnan Türkkan Coup Attempts, economic sanctions, election interference… Now the US appears to be preparing another attack on Venezuela, but this time with its own arms. We were guest to Venezuela’s Ambassador to Ankara, Freddy Molina at his residence in Türkiye’s capital. The Ambassador explained the US’s objectives and Venezuela’s countermeasures. ——————————————————————————————————————————————– “Day ...

But tensions are rising… By Mehmet Enes Beşer No regime anywhere in the world has yielded such political resilience as Myanmar’s military regime. In different forms and with changing institutional forms throughout half a century, the Tatmadaw has established itself as the dominating force in the country’s political life. Since socialist days under General Ne Win up to supposed “disciplined ...

A closer look at the heart of the continent. Although it may seem like a cliché, it’s worth recalling for the purposes of this analysis the prophecy of the English geopolitician Halford John MacKinder, who stated at the beginning of the 19th century that “whoever dominates Central Asia dominates Eurasia, and whoever dominates Eurasia dominates the world.” His views, outlined ...

The so-called “Security Agreement” is, in essence, a roadmap for the goal of dividing Syria into four parts. By Adem Kılıç, Political Scientist / Author The negotiations on a possible Israeli-Syrian security agreement, which will reshape the delicate balances in the Middle East, stand out as a process in which historical conflicts and struggles for strategic influence in the region ...

The country’s expanding role, its implications for the West and counterbalancing Chinese and Russian influence. By Dr. Halim Gençoğlu In recent years, Türkiye has significantly expanded its diplomatic, economic, and military footprint in Africa. In this paper, I examine Türkiye’s role as a dynamic actor capable of balancing Chinese and Russian influence on the continent, while providing potential avenues for ...