AVETIK HARUTYUNYAN
Bulent Ecevit was among the important decision-makers during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 43 ( B . Ecevit was even nicknamed “ Conqueror of Cyprus ”/ “ Kıbrıs Fatihi ”), Prime Minister Turgut Özal is known for his foreign policy initiatives directed towards improving Turkey ’ s relations with Greece 44 and Middle Eastern countries ( through the so-called “ Peace water ”/ “ Barış su ” project , although never implemented ), 45 and Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan made every effort to enhance Turkey ’ s relations with Islamic countries during his short term in office in 1996-97 . 46 After the JDP came to power in 2002 , its leader and Prime Minister R . T . Erdogan also became a crucially influential actor in foreign policy decision-making in Turkey .
However , by the constitutional amendments of 2017 , the post of prime minister was abolished , 47 and the government was transferred to the president .
The MFA : The first comprehensive legal acts on the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey were enacted in 1927 and 1929 with the adoption of the “ Law on the Employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ” and the “ Regulation on the Central Apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ”. 48 In the years that followed , the central apparatus of the Ministry , as well as the laws envisaging duties and powers of the MFA , were regularly changed . In particular , the following legal acts were adopted regarding the duties of the MFA : in 1967 , the “ Law on the Implementation and Regulation of International Relations ” 49 was enacted ( still in power with several amendments ), in 1983 , the “ Law
43
See : “ Ecevit anlatıyor : Kıbrıs Barış Harekatının perde arkası ,” Odatv , July 20 , 2019 , https :// odatv4 . com / kibris-baris-harekatinin-perde-arkasi-20071925 . html .
44
See : Melek Fırat , “ Yunanistan ’ la İlişkiler ”, in Türk Dış Politikası Kurtuluş Savaşından Bugüne Olgular , Belgeler , Yorumlar , Cilt 2 : 1980-2001 , ed . Baskın Oran ( Istanbul : Iletişim Yayınları , 2001 ), 114-116 .
45
For the “ Peace water ” project , see : Melek Fırat , Ömer Kürkçüoğlu , “ Arap Devletleriyle İlişkiler ”, in Türk Dış Politikası Kurtuluş Savaşından Bugüne Olgular , Belgeler , Yorumlar , Cilt 2 : 1980-2001 , ed . Baskın Oran ( Istanbul : Iletişim Yayınları , 2001 ), 140- 147 .
46
Melek Fırat , Ömer Kürkçüoğlu , “ Refahyol Dönemi ve Değişmeyen İlişkıler ( 1996-97 )” in Türk Dış Politikası Kurtuluş Savaşından Bugüne Olgular , Belgeler , Yorumlar , Cilt 2 : 1980-2001 , ed . Baskın Oran ( Istanbul : Iletişim Yayınları , 2001 ), 560-563 . 47 Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasasında Değişiklik , No . 6771 / 2017 , article 16 , point E . By
the indicated point the relevant articles number 109 and 112 of the Constitution of 1982 were abolished . 48 Ali Rıza Özcoşkun , Cumhuriyetin Kuruluşundan Bugüne Dışişleri Bakanlığı Teşkilat
Yapısı ( 1920-2018 ) ( Türk Diplomatik Arşivi Yayınları , 2018 ), 9 .
49
Milletlerarası Münasebetlerin Yürütülmesive Koordinasyonu Hakkında Kanun , Kanun No : 1173 Kabul Tarihi : 05 / 05 / 1969 , Resmî Gazete : 17.05.1969 Sayı : 13201 , https :// www . mevzuat . gov . tr / MevzuatMetin / 1.5.1173 . pdf .
41