The Concept Of Defence Dıplomacy, Its Features And Practıces

In this study, the differentiating meanings and practices of defense diplomacy, especially in the cold war and post-cold war period, with its emergence and usage at the historical process has been discussed. The concept has been used in a more singular sense, in particular as military security alliances caused by external threats to these alliances at the pre-cold war and during the cold war period. In this way, defense diplomacy activities are defined as a concept that develops on the basis of “hard power” focused on national interest and military power. Beginning of the usage of the concept as differentiating with the 1990's is a result of emerging of various threats gradually. In this context, especially increasing of regional crisis zones has also caused the diversifying of practices of defense diplomacy. Diversifying of these activities has been shaped with the concept of “soft power” in contrary to cold war period. In this context, the military staff of various states began to use various authorities to the extent that a diplomat had, and they had been an important factor determining the security-centered policies of states at the point of soft power. On behalf of the Republic of Turkey, Turkish Armed Forces also contributes significantly to the World peace as a part of these activities in the significant regional crisis zones.