Biritish Attitude Towards Turkey`S Policvies In The Middle East 1945-47

Authors : Mustafa Sıtkı BİLGİN

Pages : 258-269

Doi:10.1501/Intrel_0000000051

View : 39 | Download : 6

Publication Date : 2002-05-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The article focuses on the British attitude towards Turkey`s policies in the Middle East in the period betvveen, 1945-47. At the start of the Cold War Turkey faced an obvious threat from the Soviet Union directed against her independence and territorial integrity. She at fırst asked for British and later American help to thwart this danger. Turkey, simultaneously, tried to establish a security zone around her borders with the Arab states closest to Britain. In this context, therefore, the article deals vvith Turkey`s efforts to improve her relations vvith the regional states. It then goes on to examine hovv Great Britain and the Soviet Union reacted to the Turkish political and strategic attempts in the Middle East. The paper argues that Turkey adopted a narrovv bilateral line vvith the Arab states rather than a broad regional approach. The main reasons for this approach vvere: fırst, Turkey, under the rule of President İnönü, vvas reluctant to go too far in engaging in Middle Eastern affairs; second, London took a hesitant attitude tovvards Ankara`s policies in the region; and last, Moscovv strongly reacted to Turkey`s political steps vvith the Arab states.
Keywords : Turkey, Middle East, Britain, Turksih Foreign Policy, Transjordan, Iraq

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