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keystone, Turkey stands between
Russia and the Middle East, and
lies within striking range of vital
Persian Gulf oil fields- a fact of
great potential significance in an
oil-hungry world.
Turkey's ties to Europe were fur–
ther strengthened when the country
became an associate member of the
European Community (EC) or
Common Market in 1963.
By the mid-1960s, however, the
nettlesome Cyprus issue began to
drive a wedge between Ankara and
its Western allies in both NATO and
the EC. The Turkish military inter–
vention in northern Cyprus in 1974
further widened the split. With the
suspension of democracy in Turkey
fact that he was not particularly
favored by the military.
European Community officials
say, however, that so far only a par–
tia! return to full democracy has
been achieved in Turkey. Mucb
still needs to be accomplished, they
assert, befare the clase ties of Tur–
key's EC associate status can be
fully resumed. But the dialogue
between Turkey and the EC has
recommenced, and the troubled
relationship appears to be slowly on
the mend.
Though Turks speak of what
they perceive as a lack of reciproc–
ity of friendship, they realize that
their country has little option but
to continue their economic and
Pope Jobo Paul 11 met with Orthodox Patriarch Demetrios 1 in lstanbul in
November 1979.
in September 1980, Turkey became
Europe's odd man out.
In 1980 Turkey stood at a dan–
gerous crossroad in its history,
caught in the grip of growing eco–
nomic and política! chaos and toro
by terrorism of the left and right.
The military stepped in, temporari–
ly suspending democracy.
Since then, dramatic progress
has been achieved within the coun–
try. Law and arder have been
restored. The Turkish economy has
returned from near bankruptcy to
become one of the fastest-develop–
ing economies in the world. ln
November 1983, parliamentary
elections were held. Civilian candi–
date Turgut Ozal--chief architect
of the economic recovery-was
elected Prime Minister despite the
44
defense ties with the West. "We
are Europeans in spite of Europe,"
declares one Turkish senator. The
general alignment of Turkey with
the family of Europeán nations is
likely to endure. Many Turks hope
for eventual full EC membership.
Europeans, for their part, are
very aware of Turkey's present–
and future-usefulness geopoliti–
cally. Developments in both the
religious and political arenas are
driving borne that realization with
increasing force. Veteran European
observers see Turkey fully an–
chored in the EC by the l990s.
Tilt t o t he East
An important side effect of the past
decade of strained relations be–
tween Turkey and Europe has been
a mending of fences by Turkey
with its eastern neighbors.
For more than a half century after
World War I, Turkey neglected its
ties with the Arab Middle East,
turning strongly, as we have seen, to
Europe and the Wes
t.
In the wake of its disputes with
European allies, Turkey has been
recultivating its relations with Arab
countries at an increasingly swift
pace in recent years. Ankara has
turned to the Arab world for mon–
ey, oil and jobs. Trade witb Islamic
countries is developing rapidly.
Turkey is actively reestablisbing
its place in the Middle East!
Turks do not see their growing
cultural and economic ties with the
Middle East as occurring at the
expense of Turkey's relations with
the West. Their " overture to the
East" grows naturally out of their
common Muslim heritage and the
demands of the Turkish economy.
Turkey has long suffered a crisis
of identity. Most Turks want to be
part of the West , yet Turkey has
never felt completely sure of its
place in the Western world. Events
of the past decade have also rekin–
dled feelings about Western dis–
crimination against Turkey because
of its Muslim heritage.
Turkey continues to struggle
with its "split personality." It is
both West and East, European and
Muslim.
Today, more than ever before,
Turkey finds itself in a unique posi–
tion to serve as a bridge between
the Muslim East and the Christian
West. The responsibility that Tur–
key's geopolítica! position and its
historie experience imposes upon it
is only now beginning to be com–
prebended by many of its people.
As a nation with historie and reli–
gious ties to both Europe and the
Middle East- and now with grow–
ing political and economic ties as
well- Turkey may once again be on
the path to political power and
influence on tbe world scene- and,
as a consequence, the target of its
traditional foes, the Soviets.
Watch Turkey!
The Plain Truth
will continue to
keep its readers abreast of critically
important trends and events taking
shape in this strategically vital
country- the crossroads of East
and West.
o
The PLAIN TRUTH