The first legacy that the rulers of the Turkish republic inherited from the Ottoman past is that the state is the main diplomatic and security actor. National security and foreign policy interests have long been defined from the perspective of the state. There is a strong state tradition in Turkey (Heper, 1985). State is the main actor that provides security; state elites define which issues should be considered as security issues; security interests are defined in reference to the survival  and well-being of the state. For a long time, the prevailing understanding was that issues of diplomacy, foreign policy and national security were so much existential and vital that they should not be left to the discretion of the politicians who only think how they can win upcoming elections and remain in power. State elites would, on the other hand, put national interests at the center of their behaviors and approach vitally important issues from the perspective of state.