Undoubtedly, Turkey's success in securing a seat at the powerful body in the first round of the vote, receiving 151 out of 192 votes in the UN General Assembly, was not easily won, as it was the result of intense lobbying and an extended diplomatic campaign. According to many commentators, this success, which has brought Turkey to the league of global actors, in addition to consolidating the country's image as an international player, also brings responsibilities. Detailing the background of Turkey's diplomatic efforts to win a seat at the UN Security Council, Sabah's Erdal Şafak says it is possible to summarize the result of these efforts with a single sentence: Turkey has become a global actor from its regional power position. However, this new position brings Turkey more responsibilities. Emphasizing that at least 30 percent of the issues the Security Council deals with concern Turkey's neighborhood and the rest of the issues mostly concern Africa and other global issues, Şafak says this means issues that do not particularly interest Turkey, such as risks of rapid population growth, consumption of natural resources and environmental crises, will become part of Turkey's agenda in the days to come. "From now on, Turkey will feel the heat of global problems more strongly," Şafak writes.
Star's Mustafa Karaalioğlu terms Turkey's winning a seat at the Security Council with 151 out of 192 votes and its improving image in the international arena as an "excellent contradiction," given the fact that Turkey is grappling with recurring political tensions almost every three months and constantly questioning its democracy. "Receiving this number of votes is more significant than the membership itself. Turkey entered the race in the Western Europe group and garnered more votes than the other two candidates. Turkey represents just the opposite of what it is at home. Ankara has been carrying out EU membership negotiations for three years. Ankara sits at different tables at the same time. While bombs are exploding, it forces a solution in the Caucasus. While doing this on the one side, it mediates between Israel and Syria for a settlement of the Golan Heights dispute on the other," Karaalioğlu explains, pointing to Turkey's rising role as a mediator among conflicting countries.
Radikal's Haluk Şahin says Turkey has achieved this success thanks to serious lobbying and the taking of every necessary step toward winning a seat. "In the past, Turkey suffered a lot from a lack of sufficient lobbying. It was dragged from one defeat to the next. New developments suggest that this situation is changing now," Şahin says. He also relates this success to the harmony between the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and the state bureaucracy, which have worked hand in hand in recent years to get the support of UN countries for Turkey's Security Council bid.
