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ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 19: Turkey is part of the solution in conflicts from Somalia to Afghanistan, the Turkish foreign minister said on Tuesday.In a keynote speech at the TRT World Forum 2021, titled Power and Paradox: Understanding Grand Strategy in the 21sth Century, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara utilizes smart power in its grand strategy, combining soft and hard power elements."That's why we define our foreign policy as enterprising, as well, because we believe that a proactive foreign policy, not a reactive one, is required to respond to challenges. From Somalia to Afghanistan, we are part of the solution," he said in the video message.Cavusoglu said Turkey only uses hard power when other options have been exhausted and only to initiate dialogue and diplomacy. "This is what we do to resolve frozen conflicts, de-escalate tensions and protect our national interests.""Our presence in Syria and Libya led to stability on the ground, prevented irregular migration and terrorism, and paved the way for diplomacy. In Afghanistan, we also helped stabilize the country and build national capacity for two decades. Our current diplomatic presence and gradual engagement with the Taliban allow us to give the right messages," he said."During Azerbaijan's fight to liberate its occupied territories, we firmly stood by our brothers. But once the armed conflict was over, we developed ideas to achieve lasting peace. In the Eastern Mediterranean, we acted to make it clear that our sovereignty and legitimate rights are not negotiable. At the same time, President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan called for an inclusive EastMed Conference," he added.Cavusoglu underlined the relevance of this year's themes of "power and paradox" and "grand strategy," adding that since the time of ancient Greek philosopher Thucydides, "power has been central to international relations." (Footage by Turkish Foreign Ministry/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)