Turkish Foreign Ministry is set to launch "public diplomacy", using strategic communication tools including social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Several countries such as the United States, Britain and Israel have already been carrying out the "public diplomacy" aimed at interaction between decision-makers and the public.

Advance in communication technologies has helped sound national and international developments faster and larger, said Namik Tan, deputy undersecretary of the foreign ministry.

Tan said such a diplomacy could help Turkey explain its foreign policy and executions through communication channels, adding that the ministry also aimed to set up a two-way communication strategy in order to understand foreign tendencies, sensitivities and concerns.

The ministry plans to get involved in a closer communication activity with the media, think-tanks, non-governmental organizations and universities, Tan stated.

To achieve this goal, Tan said, ministry officials would use several methods including traditional consultative meetings as well as modern communication platforms such as social networks Facebook and Twitter.

"Public diplomacy is a new vision and a new working area for our foreign policy. This area will go beyond traditional diplomacy that we were used to, and it will help us come together with new implementations," Tan said.


AA