Turkey Foreign Policy
From International Business Wiki
Turkish Foreign Policy
During the Cold War Turkey felt pressured to create close ties with the Western World in order to protect national security, especially after Joseph Stalin demanded parts of the Turkish territory. Russia would not renew the Turkish-Soviet Treaty of Neutrality and Nonaggression of 1925, before Turkey surrender its northern provinces. Turkey then realized that it would only be able to deter Russia’s expansion if it formed an alliance with the United States.
As a result, Turkey began implementing the most important component of its foreign policy at the time: form an alliance with the US, and join the North Atlatic Treaty Organization. In order to facilitate its admission into NATO, Turkey sent soldiers to the Allied coalition mission to help protect the Republic of Korea. Upon seeing that, the US strengthened its support for the admission of Turkey into NATO. After being admitted in 1952, Turkey began implementing another policy: deterring the Soviet threat. That however, was interrupted by the Cyprus crisis in 1963-64 and in 1973-74. Aside from that, Turkey continued to contribute with soldiers and supplies to international missions in countries such as Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and most recently it sent troops to Afghanistan.
After the Cold War, Turkish policymakers decided they had to revise their foreign policy’s objectives, since the big threat of Russian expansion no longer existed and Turkey was at safest it had ever been. Russia and Turkey even became great trade partners. They decided they needed a new grand strategy. Nowadays, there are two main objectives driving Turkish foreign policy. The first objective is to turn Turkey into a basic component of the European integration process, since Turkey is a European country geographically, historically and also economically as well.
In order to be “accepted into the EU”, Turkey has tofulfil the Copenhagen political criteria. Throughout the years, Turkey has taken many steps towards the fulfilment of the agreement.In December of 2001, its efforts were finally recognized at the Laeken European Council, where Turkey was invited to take part in the Convention on the same basis as the other members of the EU, showing that Turkey has successfully earned the support of its European partners. On October of 2002, the European Commission disclosed Turkey’s Annual Progress Report, and to the disappointment of many, concluded that Turkey had not yet met all of the Copenhagen political criteria.
The second objective is to transform Turkey into a prosperous country that is located at in the middle of Eurasia. By strengthening its economy, security and remaining in peace with neighboring countries, Turkey can create a constantly growing zone of stability and welfare, improving everyone’s living conditions n the country.
References
Hale, W. M. (2000). Turkish foreign policy, 1774-2000. Portland, OR: Frank Cass.
Information, D. G. (2002). Foreign Policy of Turkey. Retrieved October 29, 2007, from http://www.byegm.gov.tr/REFERENCES/Foreignpolicy2001.htm
