The effect of south caucasus policy of Turkey after 2001 on USA-Russia competition

The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of policy of Turkey after 2011 on USA-Russia competition which occurred in the region in real political terms; by expressing parameters of South Caucasus region which has importance both geopolitically, geo-strategically and geo-economically in Turkish Foreign Policy.Another aim of the study is to explain; in today?s world system which has a course from single pole structure to multi pole structure; how far the political standing of Turkey which moves from being a regional power to a global actor would influence the position of other actors on the basis of South Caucasus region.In this sense in the first section of the study; general frame of the region was put forward considering the location of South Caucasus, states of the region, areas of crisis and conflict. On the other hand; considering geo-political and geo-strategic features, the position of South Caucasus was tried to be mentioned in the sense of global and regional policies. In the second section, regional policies of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia which are located in South Caucasus and the effect of actors such as Turkey, Russia and USA which want to be politically exposed in the region were analyzed.In the third section, internal and external factors which influence South Caucasus policy of Turkey after 2001 were discussed in details; in this way Turkey?s policy implemented on the region was tried to be retraced. In the fourth section, South Caucasus policies of Russia and USA, being turkey in the first place, were mentioned and the importance of South Caucasus in the foreign policy of Turkey, Russia and USA were analyzed.In the fifth section, how the South Caucasus policy of Turkey influenced USA-Russia competition in the region was analyzed in the scope of Turkey-Russia and Turkey-USA relations after 2001 and the study was concluded.Key words: South Caucasus, Turkish Foreign Policy, USA-Russia Competition, International System, Power Struggle