The end of the Cold War and the demise of the Soviet Union drastically changed the international environment of Turkey's foreign and security policy. The Turkish government undertakes great efforts to adapt the country's foreign relations to the new situation. In the view of many analysts, these efforts are characterised by a greater assertiveness of Turkish foreign policy with regard to various regional political constellations. Self-constraint and a low profile no longer seem to be the hallmark of Turkey's foreign relations.1 Among Turkish officials, the conviction re-emerged that Turkey "has a special role to play in international affairs."