The incrising role of cities in international politics

The scope of the foreign policy and diplomatic relations have been redefined in line with developments brought by globalization which have led to the inclusion of the local, regional and international actors in diplomatic relations with their enhanced relations. The inclusion of these new actors in the diplomacy creates a multi-layered network structure. This new interrelatedness situation through diplomatic basis is significant not only concerning business promotion but also in order to sustain a peaceful environment, in political means. This dissertation argues that under the conditions of globalization, diplomacy is not merely conducted through the ministry of foreign affairs? mobilization but also under the competence of the local authorities especially in the areas of Peace Building, Conflict Prevention, Post-Conflict Resolution and Democracy Promotion. With regard to the globalized society structure, both international organizations and local governments, either through the instruments of multinational corporations or by their own efforts, build up a new type of diplomacy. When examining this process in Turkey, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality can be seen as a notable example that builds peaceful relations via `Sister City Relations?, `Good-will agreements? and `Humanitarian Aids? with its counterparts and has a complementary structure in foreign policy.Keywords: local governments, multi-layered diplomacy, localized foreign policy, city diplomacy, Istanbul