Turkey » International Relations

The Turkey's Relations with International Community

Turkey's main political, economic and military relations still remain firmly rooted within Western Europe and the United States. Turkey is currently in the process of accession to the European Union, with which it has had an association agreement since 1964, and Customs Union since 1996. A major source of tension in its EU aspirations is the issue of Cyprus, a member of the EU which Turkey does not recognise, but instead supports the de facto Turkish Cypriot north. Ankara has been urged to open its ports and recognise the Republic of Cyprus or face a possible halt in talks. Turkey supported a UN-backed peace agreement which was rejected by the Greek Cypriots, but supported by the Turkish Cypriots in 2004, thus paving the way for Greek Cypriot membership. The Greek Cypriot administration has since threatened the use of its veto if Ankara does not meet its EU obligations, though this has been judged an unlikely move.

Turkey has remained a close ally of the United States, supporting it in the war on terror in the post September 11th climate. However, the Iraq war faced strong domestic opposition in Turkey and as such, the Turkish parliament voted against allowing US troops to attack Iraq from Turkey. This led a period of cooling in relations, but soon regained momentum through diplomatic, humanitarian and indirect military support. Turkey is particularly cautious about an independent Kurdish state arising from a destabilised Iraq. Turkey has fought an insurgent war against the PKK, a guerrilla group seeking Kurdish independence, in which some 30,000 people have lost their lives. This has led Ankara to pressure the US into clamping down on guerrilla training camps in northern Iraq, though it remains reluctant due to its relative stability with the rest of Iraq. Turkey must therefore balance domestic pressures with commitments to its strongest ally.

Relations with neighbour Greece have historically been strained and on few occasions close to war. Cyprus and claims to the Aegean remain the main sticking point between the two nations. Cyprus continues to be divided between a Greek Cypriot south and Turkish Cypriot north, and efforts to reunite the island under the auspices of the United Nations have so far failed. In the Aegean, strategically important to the passage of Turkish vessels, Turkey has made clear it will not accept a 12-mile claim to territorial waters surrounding the islands. Though the historical rivalry between the two states has been bitter, following the devastating 1999 earthquake in Turkey, and the quick response of Greek aid and rescue teams, the nations have entered a much more positive period of relations, with Greece backing Turkey's candidacy to the EU.

Trade and Investment with UK

Turkey is one of the world's most rapidly industrialising markets. It is also a major trading partner of the UK. Total bilateral trade reached 4.4 bn in 2003. The UK is the 5th largest investor in Turkey. British firms cover a wide range of sectors, with over 41 British companies investing. Major British companies such as BP, Shell, Unilever (UK), HSBC, Tesco, Cadbury Schweppes, BAT, Arcadia and Lucas Industries are well established.