By Mehmet Enes Beşer The promise of a “New Malaysia” first captured global attention in 2018, when a surprise electoral upset ended sixty-two unbroken years of Barisan Nasional coalition government. Pakatan Harapan coalition win—and return to politics of veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad—was welcomed as a democratic victory, a harbinger that Malaysia was poised to redefine itself politically, economically, and diplomatically. ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer In the midst of the evolving context of global development cooperation, a quiet but significant shift is taking place: Indonesia, traditionally categorized as an aid recipient, is increasingly emerging as a full-fledged donor country. While its aid volumes are still small compared to established donors, Indonesia’s growing practice of employing development aid as a foreign policy ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer In an increasingly bipolar global order—autocracy vs. democracy, West vs. East, United States vs. China—Vietnam doesn’t fit quite so well. Honed to high definition by the press into either China’s potential enemy in the South China Sea or, conversely, as a natural ally in socialist solidarity, Vietnam is neither. Hanoi-Beijing is an old and mature relationship ...
By Mehmet Enes Beşer China’s bilateral relations with Russia and North Korea in East Asian geopolitics have been instrumental in defining the region’s past and present. Founded on common ideologies and interests, their relation remains pertinent in foreign policy and in China’s regional stability strategy. China’s bilateral ties with Russia and North Korea have been strategic alliances in recent years, ...
By Elshad Mirbashiroglu * and Nilufar N. Mammadova ** The imminence of nuclear apocalypse on planet Earth has never been so close since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Humanity is clearly experiencing an extremely dangerous time yet again. Despite the alarming rise in global usage of the term “nuclear war” against the backdrop of recent developments in global geopolitics, we ...
Evidence found by archaeologists and other specialists in Western Asia shows that as far back as three millennia ago there were ties of friendship, as well as alliances and commitments to establish limits, mutual defense agreements and cooperation mechanisms between Sumerians, Egyptians, and Babylonians, Assyrians and Medea. Likewise, it is known that in Asia, Africa and America, as well as ...
Western Eurasia is witnessing intensive diplomacy traffic. US Chairman of Chief of Staff, Mike Milley visited the – illegally deployed – US troops on Syrian soil, and the US Secretary of Defense toured West Asia. China has mediated the mutual reopening of the Iranian and Saudi Arabian embassies, while Israel faces domestic turmoil. Again Beijing has taken on the scene ...
Gulf states were the spearhead in efforts to overthrow the regime of President Bashar al-Assad following the outbreak of an uprising against it within the so-called Arab Spring revolutions in 2011. These states played the largest role in supporting opposition groups such as the Free Syrian Army with weapons and isolating the regime in the Arab world. However, in the ...
In recent weeks, the Middle East region has witnessed a number of meetings and summits that have raised eyebrows and questions, against the background of their multiplicity, diversity and the nature of their parties. Meetings and speculations In Sharm El-Sheikh, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed ...
By Mehmet Kıvanç The Arab world searching its ways The “spring” is over. While the world is more occupied with topics like economic crisis and migrant flows, the Arab world has also started the quest for formulas to solve its own crises. With Biden declaring, “America is back” and reorienting the US towards China and Russia, it is possible to ...