Abstract

This paper examines the Kurdistan Region’s increasing significance for regional politics, including its role in Turkish foreign policy. It also discusses Turkey’s foreign policy towards the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) since its creation and describes the stages the relations Ankara and Erbil have undergone since the 1991 Gulf War. Four different phases of Turkey’s foreign policy practice towards the KRG are pinpointed in this paper. Conclusions are also drawn concerning the KRG’s increasing role in a possible transformed post-Assad political setting and what this means for the regional balance of power, especially if the Kurds of Syria succeed in achieving autonomy. Finally, the study’s theoretical implications are also highlighted, considering its relevance in current international relations literature.