CONTEMPORARY EURASIA IX ( 2 )
including foreign policy decision-making . An example of the extensive role of the military in the formulation of Turkey ’ s foreign policy in the 1990s was its initiative in the development of military and strategic cooperation with Israel as opposed to the Islamic foreign policy of Prime Minister N . Erbakan . 65
As a result , in order to limit the military ’ s involvement in political processes in-country , a number of legislative changes have been initiated by the political leadership of Turkey since the beginning of the 2000s . The first major changes regarding the composition of the NSC were made in the constitutional amendments of 2001 . In particular , deputies of the Prime minister and the Minister of Justice were included in the NSC , and the obligation of the Council of Ministers to consider suggestions of the NSC on a priority basis was abolished . 66 Although with these changes the Armed Forces lost their majority in the NSC , they still retained their considerable representation in it . In 2003 , further changes were made to the “ Law on the National Security Council and the General Secretariat of the NSC ”, which reaffirmed the role of the NSC as an advisory body , limited the scope of the competencies of the General Secretariat of the NSC , reduced the frequency of meetings of the NSC and allowed the appointment of a civilian to be the Secretary General of the NSC . 67
These legal changes were accompanied by a shifting political situation in and around Turkey . First of all , this refers to the establishment of a strong one-party government under the JDP and the following democratization processes in Turkey , also concerning the Kurdish issue . At the same time , steps towards the desecuritization of foreign policy 68 were taken with the introduction of the principle of “ zero problems with neighbors ” in foreign policy , which contributed to the significant improvement of Turkish relations with traditionally hostile
65
Levon Hovsepyan , “ Tʻurkiayi artakʻin ev anvtangayin kʻaghakʻakanutyan pokhakerpumnerě : veragnahatelov Hayastani anvtangutʻyan martahravernerě ,” Haykakan banak 4 no . 98 ( 2018 ): 35 , in Armenian , (“ Turkey ’ s foreign and security policy transformations : reassessing challenges to Armenia ’ s security ”, Armenian Army 4 , no . 98 ( 2018 ). 66 Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasasının Bazı Maddelerinin Değiştirilmesi Hakkında Kanun ,
Kanun No : 4709 Kabul Tarihi : 03 / 10 / 2001 , ResmîGazete : 17.10.2001 Sayı : 24556 , article 32 , https :// www . resmigazete . gov . tr / eskiler / 2001 / 10 / 20011017m1 . htm . 67 Çeşitli Kanunlarda Değişiklik Yapılmasına Ilişlkin Kanun , Kanun No : 4963 Kabul
Tarihi : 30 / 07 / 2003 , Resmî Gazete : 07.08.2003 Sayı : 25192 , articles 24-27 , https :// www . resmigazete . gov . tr / eskiler / 2003 / 08 / 20030807 . htm .
68
Levon Hovsepyan , “ Tʻurkʻiayi anvtangayin kʻaghaqakʻanutyan ardi mitumnerě ev anvtangayin inkʻnutyan pokhakerpumě ,” Arevelagitutʻyan hartsʻer , 14 ( 2018 ): 182 , in Armenian , (“ Current Trends of Turkey ' s Security Policy and Security Identity Transformation ,” Journal of Oriental Studies , 14 ( 2018 ). 46