Antalya Diplomatic Forum (ADF) Held Last Weekend – Demonstrates Turkey’s Insistence on Diplomacy
The Antalya Diplomatic Forum (ADF), held this past weekend, showed that Turkish foreign policy would continue to emphasize diplomacy despite the pessimistic climate created by wars and conflicts in the region. The content of this traditional international conference expressed Turkey’s energy to find common political solutions on almost all issues, given its geopolitical position at the heart of historical fractures and conflicts and will continue to do so.
Syria: Hope, Patience, and Diplomacy
One of the most critical challenges of Turkey’s foreign policy lies in Syria’s ability to maintain its political stability in a region marked by ongoing conflicts. The dominant idea at the session titled “Syria’s Path to Stability” was that, despite numerous challenges after Assad’s downfall, the country is progressing in the right direction with some hope.
The statements by Syrian participants, emphasizing progress made despite challenges in the reconstruction process and the need for patience, were particularly noteworthy. It should be acknowledged that the political and diplomatic capabilities demonstrated by the Damascus administration after Assad, with crucial support from Turkey, are generating real hope.
The current Syrian president Al-Charaa’s statement, “we are not a party to the war,” during a session he attended, highlights how quickly Syria is moving away from its image as a regional instability exporter. Al-Charaa’s political performance over the past year and a half has allowed him to consolidate internal stability and gain international recognition.
Turkey’s contribution, which has never abandoned diplomacy with the United States, Europe, Russia, and Iran for many years, has been crucial to Syria’s current evolution. Despite tensions with regional and global powers and significant costs incurred, Turkey has acted while considering its neighbor’s security as an extension of its own.
Debates on the End or Non-End of War
As in each edition, the Antalya forum hosted rich and varied sessions covering regional issues from Central Asia to Africa, the Middle East to the Balkans, as well as debates on the international system. These exchanges, nourishing both theoretical reflection and Turkey’s diplomatic practice, will leave a lasting impression, just like the contacts established with political leaders, diplomats, and thinkers.
It is worth noting the importance of informal interactions and discussions on the sidelines of official sessions. A significant portion of the discussions naturally revolved around a possible war between the United States and Iran. The contradictory information, sometimes disseminated on the same day, announcing alternately the end or continuation of the conflict, influenced the tone of these discussions.
The presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Antalya, a central figure in Islamabad’s discussions, illustrated Turkey’s central role in diplomatic efforts to end the war with Iran.
