Turkey's soft power policy in the post-Cold War era: The case of Greece (Policies, practices and contradictions) 1991-2011

The end of the Cold War has led to significant changes and fractures in both the policies and spheres of influence of many countries around the world. Turkey stands out as one of the countries most affected by these shifts and changes. In particular, the emergence of new dynamics in the Balkans and Central Asia has necessitated strategic steps in Turkish foreign policy within the framework of different requirements. Indeed, throughout the historical process, necessities in foreign policy and developments in domestic politics have compelled Turkey to undergo changes in this direction. Within this transformation, Turkey began to pursue a multifaceted foreign policy strategy, especially from the 1970s onwards, by taking advantage of the historical heritage in its relations with both the Islamic geography and later emerging Balkan and Turkic states. During the AK Party era, this political transformation, systematized within the framework of Strategic Depth, aimed at applying the principles of Soft Power, influencing and attracting states within its sphere of interest, guiding them along its own policy, and expanding its influence. In line with our study, we aimed to reveal how the principle of Soft Power was attempted to be applied in the Balkans and its impact on Greece by understanding the transformation of Turkish foreign policy in the historical process.