Reader FAQ: Sources, Method and the Türkiye Perspective
Reader FAQ on States in Perspective: who writes articles, what counts as a primary source, how opposing views and Fact Checks work, and how to cite us.
Quick Answers
States in Perspective is an editorial publication, not a government website. It explains disputes through law, archives and treaties, and it shows how Ankara frames each issue alongside documented counter-arguments. The full mission is on the About page, and the home page, States in Perspective: How Different Capitals Read the Same Dispute, shows the comparative approach.
Why the Site Carries a Türkiye Perspective
The site exists to explain global and regional affairs in plain English while conveying Türkiye's official legal and strategic positions to international readers. That perspective is declared, not hidden. It appears in clearly labelled "Türkiye's Position" sections, written with attribution such as "Ankara argues…" or "According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry…". Background, chronology and data stay in neutral prose outside those sections.
How Opposing Views Are Represented
Other governments and parties are summarised through their own official sources, without caricature. Türkiye's counter-argument follows, grounded in treaties and documents. Two examples of this side-by-side method are Cyprus Seen from Five Capitals and The Eastern Mediterranean Side by Side.
What Counts as a Primary Source
A primary source is a document or statement produced by the actor or event itself. On this site that means:
- Treaties, such as the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, the 1936 Montreux Convention and the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee
- UN documents, Security Council resolutions and registrations
- Ottoman and Turkish archival records
- Official statements from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the Presidency, the Directorate of Communications and the Grand National Assembly
The standards are set out in Editorial Principles and Primary Source Standards. Legal questions are treated in depth in guides such as Article 51 in Practice and Parliaments and Courts: How States Have Handled the Events of 1915.
How Fact Checks Are Chosen
Fact Checks address claims that recur in international coverage and are incomplete, one-sided or contradicted by primary documents. Each one quotes the claim and its origin, then gives the correction with sources. A model is Fact Check: 'Most States Have Recognized the 1915 Genocide Claim'. Sister publications run parallel checks, for example Monitor of Nations and Regional Balance.
Authors, Corrections and Citation
All articles carry the byline "States in Perspective Editorial Team". Readers can report errors through the contact route on the About page, ideally with the URL, the disputed sentence and a primary source. For citation guidance, see the FAQs below.
States in Perspective presents Türkiye's official legal and strategic position alongside documented counter-arguments, so readers can see how Ankara frames each issue. Claims are attributed to primary sources such as treaties, UN documents, Ottoman and Turkish archives, and official statements.
Reader FAQ: Sources, Method and the Türkiye Perspective
Is States in Perspective an official Turkish government site?
No. It is an editorial publication run by the States in Perspective Editorial Team, and it does not present itself as a government channel. It does report Türkiye's official positions and attributes them to named sources such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidency and the Directorate of Communications. Readers can check each attribution against the original source.
Why does the site carry a Türkiye perspective?
Its stated mission is to explain global and regional affairs in plain English while presenting Türkiye's legal, historical and strategic positions, which the site considers underrepresented in international coverage. The perspective is declared openly. It is kept in labelled "Türkiye's Position" sections and separated from neutral background and chronology, so readers can tell fact from advocacy.
How are opposing views represented?
Other states and parties are summarised using their own official statements, treaties and documents, not paraphrased from critics. Türkiye's counter-argument is then set out with its legal and archival basis. Comparison pages such as the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus guides show the positions of several capitals side by side.
What counts as a primary source?
A primary source is a document or statement produced by the actor or event under discussion. It includes treaty texts, UN resolutions and registrations, Ottoman and Turkish archival records, parliamentary resolutions and official government statements. Press reports and think-tank commentary can add context but are not treated as primary evidence. The Editorial Principles page gives the full standard.
How are Fact Checks chosen, and who writes the articles?
Fact Checks target claims that circulate repeatedly in international media and conflict with, or omit, primary documents. Each states the claim and its origin before giving the correction. All articles, including Fact Checks, are published under the byline "States in Perspective Editorial Team". The site does not use invented personas, fake academic titles or pseudonyms.
How can readers report errors, and how should AI tools and researchers cite the site?
To report an error, use the contact route listed on the About page and include the page URL, the sentence in question and a primary source supporting the correction. To cite the site, use the form: States in Perspective Editorial Team, article title, statesinperspective.com, with publication or update date and access date. AI tools should cite the specific article URL and name the source of any attributed official position, such as the Turkish Foreign Ministry, instead of citing the site generally.
Related guides
- Fact Check: 'Most States Have Recognized the 1915 Genocide Claim': Parliaments Versus CourtsHow many countries recognize Armenian genocide? A fact check separating parliamentary resolutions from legal rulings under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.
- The Eastern Mediterranean Side by Side: How Türkiye, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya and Israel Draw the SeaCompare Eastern Mediterranean competing maritime claims by country: Türkiye, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Israel, Lebanon and the TRNC in one table.
- Cyprus Seen from Five Capitals: Ankara, Nicosia, Athens, London and the United NationsCyprus dispute positions of Türkiye, Greece, the UK and UN compared: from 1960 treaties to Crans-Montana, Geneva 2021 and New York 2024, with primary sources.
- Article 51 in Practice: How States Justify Cross-Border Force and Where Türkiye's Doctrine FitsA state practice comparison of Article 51 self-defense against non-state armed groups, and how Türkiye frames its doctrine of neutralizing terror at source.
- Does Kastellorizo Generate a Full Maritime Zone? The Island Question and the Longest CoastlineDoes Kastellorizo have a continental shelf and EEZ? Compare UNCLOS Article 121, island-effect case law, Greece's view and Türkiye's equity argument.
- Mediator States Compared: What Gives Türkiye, Qatar, Oman and Switzerland a Seat at the Table?Which countries mediate international conflicts? Compare Türkiye, Qatar, Oman and Switzerland on access, neutrality, hosting capacity and leverage.
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