Fourty five years of Turkish foreign policy towards Syria : under the shadow of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the Turkish-Syrian relations between 1945 and 1990 and examines whether there was an influence of the Soviet Union or not in relations between both states. Although Turkish foreign policy was accepted as pro-western oriented policy by academic environment, it can be said that Turkey was partly influenced by the Soviet Union in its policy towards Syria. Turkey established relations with Syria and Middle Eastern states in varying approaches, and adopted these approaches in order to be in harmony with the West. However, the Soviet Union was important in Turkish foreign policy towards Syria because Syria was a Soviet advocate in the Middle East and was supported widely by the Soviet Union. Although the opinion of the Turkish foreign policy was stemmed from the Soviet Union was widespread, Turkey used the Soviet menace for its domestic and international interests. On the contrary, especially in post-1960 policies, Turkey improved its relations with the Soviet Union while it established rapprochement with Arab states in order to keep its national interests