Turkey Syria Relations

In 1997 Turkey and Syria were on the brink of war, engaged in a very real power struggle. Turkey was aligned with Syria's main enemy, Israel, and there were seemingly intractable differences on the issues of borders, the sharing of river waters and trans-border communities. In less than a decade, relations were transformed from enmity to amity. Border issues and water sharing quarrels were moving towards amicable settlement and the two states' policies toward the Kurdish issue converging. Turkey undertook to mediate the Syrian-Israeli conflict and close political and economic relations were developing rapidly between the two states. Yet, with the Syrian Uprising, relations returned to enmity. What explains these remarkable changes? Given that Turkey and Syria are two pivotal states in the region, what are the implications of this changing relationship for the international politics of the Middle East, the balance of power and regional stability? In this internationally collaborative work, co-edited by Raymond Hinnebusch and Özlem Tür, British, Syrian and Turkish scholars address these questions and examine the various domestic and international drivers in this key regional relationship. They discuss what theories best help us understand these seismic realignments and explore the impact of economic interdependence, identity changes and power balances on the evolving relationship between these two key regional powers.

After 2000, there was a closeness in the relations of Syrian and Turkey. However, Turkey and Syria were in dispute about water, Hatay and terrorism. Especially there was an intense tension over terrorism. This tension brought the two countries to the brink of a war in 1998. We can say that the relations between Syria and Turkey normalized after Adana Agreement in 1998. When Bashar Al-Assad came to power in Syria and as did AKP in Turkey, the relations improved even further leading to the abolishment of visas in 2009. However, with the Arab Spring, the relations turned sour and reached to a point that can’t be normalized anymore. This book analyses the relations between Syria and Turkey between 1998 and 2018. CONTENT About the Author Acronyms Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Turkey – Syria Relations in the Period from the End of the Cold War to the 1998 Syrıa Crisis Chapter Three: Turkey – Syria Relations in the Period from the 1998 Adana Agreement to the Election of Bashar Al-Asad as President in 2000 Chapter Four: Turkey – Syria Relations in the Period from 2000 Bashar Al-Assad’s Takiıng Office to the Abolition of Visas in 2009 Chapter Five: The Relations between Turkey And Syria after Arab Spring

This volume examines contemporary political relations between Turkey and the Middle East. In the light of the Arab Uprisings of 2011, the Syria Crisis, the escalation of regional terrorism and the military coup attempt in Turkey, it illustrates the dramatic fluctuations in Turkish foreign policy towards key Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. The contributors analyze Turkey’s deepening involvement in Middle Eastern regional affairs, also addressing issues such as terrorism, social and political movements and minority rights struggles. While these problems have traditionally been regarded as domestic matters, this book highlights their increasingly regional dimension and the implications for the foreign affairs of Turkey and countries in the Middle East.

Since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power at the end of 2002, Turkey has increased its interactions with the Middle East. Syria has been the testing ground of this new, "neo-Ottoman" policy aimed at improving trade and political relations with all the country's neighbours. Analyzing the evolution of Turkey's policy towards Syria under AKP rule, we can distinguish three phases. The first phase was characterized by the coherent adoption of the "zero problems with neighbours" policy, which led to a general improvement of relations. The second phase started with outbreak of the Syrian civil war, which led the Turkish Government to set aside the "zero problems with neighbours" policy and pursue regime change. However, not only was Turkey unable to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's regime but its strategy also created tensions with Iran and Russia, and led to a deterioration in the country's geopolitical situation. Moreover, its inadequate response to the rise of jihadist groups and deterioration on the Kurdish issue have negatively affected its security. A final phase, begun in 2016, is characterized by a more pragmatic approach. Today, it is clear that the ambitious "zero problems" project created by Ahmet Davutoğlu has, at least temporarily, collapsed.

Explains the trajectory of Turkish foreign policy behavior vis-...-vis the West, identifying the major factors behind intra-alliance opposition.

The strategic relationship between the United States and Turkey is over. While Turkey remains formally a NATO ally, it is not a partner of the United States. The United States should not be reluctant to oppose Turkey directly when Ankara undermines U.S. policy.

Turkey is a rising regional and global power facing, as is the United States, the challenges of political transitions in the Middle East, bloodshed in Syria, and Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. As a result, it is incumbent upon the leaders of the United States and Turkey to define a new partnership "in order to make a strategic relationship a reality," says a new Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)-sponsored Independent Task Force.

This book presents a colourful and analytical picture of Turkish-American relations from the early nineteenth century to the post cold war era, providing excellent reference for study of their impact as well as for a deeper understanding of the region.