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SECRET
CHAPTER III
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
1. FOREIGN POLICY.
When World War II began, Turkey had succeeded in establishing friendly relations
with the USSR, the Western Powers, neighboring Balkan countries, and other states
in the Near and Middle East.* The pact of friendship between the USSR and Germany
in August 1939, however, had upset the balanced relations which the Turks wished to
maintain. As a counter-move, Turkey signed with Great Britain and France a mutual
assistance pact in October 1939, but this pact provided that Turkey would not be re-
quired to take any action inimical to the USSR. At once the Soviets began to demand
special safeguards and privileges in the Straits, and thus Turkey entered an era of
close friendship with Great Britain and of deteriorating relations with the Soviet
Union.
Although continually stressing its alliance with Great Britain, Turkey took steps
during the war to preserve its neutrality. In the single year of 1941, the Turks con-
cluded a non-aggression pact with Bulgaria in February, an agreement with the
USSR (in which each promised not to join an enemy who might attack the other) in
March, a ten-year non-aggression pact with Germany in June, and a commercial treaty
with Germany in October. As the war progressed, Turkey moved closer to the side
of the Allies, and on 23 February 1945 the Turks declared war on Germany and
Japan and later joined the United Nations.
Since the war, Turkey has depended upon close relations with the US and UK to
offset pressure by the USSR and the threat of Soviet aggression, meanwhile hoping for
the development of the UN as the ultimate protector of Turkish independence. Tur-
key's foreign policy is, therefore, based upon the following four factors:
a. Continued support by the US.
b. Membership in the UN and adherence to its declared principles.
C. The alliance with the UK.
d. Friendship with all nations, including the USSR.
To counter Soviet penetration and to gain support in the Middle East, Turkey
began about two years ago to strengthen relations with various Arab states. Pacts
of friendship which have been concluded with Iraq and Transjordan are non-military,
however, and they in no way involve Turkey in Arab League affairs. The Turks have
Friendly relations with the USSR were made a cornerstone of Turkey's foreign policy by the
founders of the present regime in a treaty signed in 1921, even before the establishment of the
Turkish Republic. The Western Powers recognized the new republic at the Conference of Lausanne
in 1923. In 1932, Turkey joined the League of Nations and also initiated a rapprochement with
Great Britain and France. In 1934, Turkey was instrumental in establishing the Balkan Entente
with Greece, Yugoslavia, and Rumania. In 1937, Turkey signed an Asiatic pact of non-aggression
with certain of the Middle Eastern States.
SECRET
30
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"ocrText": "SECRET\nCHAPTER III\nFOREIGN AFFAIRS\n1. FOREIGN POLICY.\nWhen World War II began, Turkey had succeeded in establishing friendly relations\nwith the USSR, the Western Powers, neighboring Balkan countries, and other states\nin the Near and Middle East.* The pact of friendship between the USSR and Germany\nin August 1939, however, had upset the balanced relations which the Turks wished to\nmaintain. As a counter-move, Turkey signed with Great Britain and France a mutual\nassistance pact in October 1939, but this pact provided that Turkey would not be re-\nquired to take any action inimical to the USSR. At once the Soviets began to demand\nspecial safeguards and privileges in the Straits, and thus Turkey entered an era of\nclose friendship with Great Britain and of deteriorating relations with the Soviet\nUnion.\nAlthough continually stressing its alliance with Great Britain, Turkey took steps\nduring the war to preserve its neutrality. In the single year of 1941, the Turks con-\ncluded a non-aggression pact with Bulgaria in February, an agreement with the\nUSSR (in which each promised not to join an enemy who might attack the other) in\nMarch, a ten-year non-aggression pact with Germany in June, and a commercial treaty\nwith Germany in October. As the war progressed, Turkey moved closer to the side\nof the Allies, and on 23 February 1945 the Turks declared war on Germany and\nJapan and later joined the United Nations.\nSince the war, Turkey has depended upon close relations with the US and UK to\noffset pressure by the USSR and the threat of Soviet aggression, meanwhile hoping for\nthe development of the UN as the ultimate protector of Turkish independence. Tur-\nkey's foreign policy is, therefore, based upon the following four factors:\na. Continued support by the US.\nb. Membership in the UN and adherence to its declared principles.\nC. The alliance with the UK.\nd. Friendship with all nations, including the USSR.\nTo counter Soviet penetration and to gain support in the Middle East, Turkey\nbegan about two years ago to strengthen relations with various Arab states. Pacts\nof friendship which have been concluded with Iraq and Transjordan are non-military,\nhowever, and they in no way involve Turkey in Arab League affairs. The Turks have\nFriendly relations with the USSR were made a cornerstone of Turkey's foreign policy by the\nfounders of the present regime in a treaty signed in 1921, even before the establishment of the\nTurkish Republic. The Western Powers recognized the new republic at the Conference of Lausanne\nin 1923. In 1932, Turkey joined the League of Nations and also initiated a rapprochement with\nGreat Britain and France. In 1934, Turkey was instrumental in establishing the Balkan Entente\nwith Greece, Yugoslavia, and Rumania. In 1937, Turkey signed an Asiatic pact of non-aggression\nwith certain of the Middle Eastern States.\nSECRET\n30"
}