Turkey-Serbia relations during Justice and Development Party era

It was stated that Turkey had a significant responsibility on providing stability and security of the Balkans while the Justice and Development Party period foreign policy was being built. The realization of this objective was directly through the relations between Turkey and Serbia. The importance of Serbia in this direction is highlighted many times by foreign policy implementers. Serbia gives relations with Turkey particular importance as a regional power factor as well. After 2000s, the two countries maintained an attitude towards improving and deepening the relationship. After the political relations between Turkey and Serbia have reached a certain point, the idea of strategic partnership has been introduced. In order to realize and maintain this objective, improving economic and military relations as well as the politic relations is also brought to the agenda. During the Justice and Development Party period, it was seen that the two countries have achieved a certain level on strategic relations; moreover, these objectives have been accomplished and new ones are determined. The main scope of the dissertation study is the process and development of the bilateral relations during the Justice and Development Party period. Strategically, the accomplishments of both countries are not only on bilateral level but they also reflected on the Balkans. This effect can be seen both on country and region basis as part of political, economic and military relations. The most important one of these accomplishments in this regard are the trilateral consultation mechanisms between Turkey, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the gaining of these mechanisms, which are examined in the dissertation study. In the study, focus was especially on the foreign policy understandings and methods of two countries while the process of the bilateral relations is conveyed chronologically. The effect of the change that both countries have experienced in their foreign policies after 2000s to the relations between Turkey and Serbia, has been evaluated together with the objectives and outcomes. Keywords: Turkey - Serbia Bilateral Relations, Strategic Partnership, Trilateral Consultation Mechanisms, Soft Power, Public Diplomacy.