(history posting) britains relationship with turkey

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 15:26

I picked up Christopher Meyers book called 'getting our way'. It will also be presented as a 3 part BBC documentary in 2010.



I wanted the book because i was interested in understanding Britains foreign policy over the years. It seems that the key drivers are security, prosperity and values. Quite often and unsurprisingly there is a clash between self interest and values.



What did surprise me, was that, there was a whole chapter on Britains relationship with Turkey.

It seems that at the end of the 19th century Britain was petrified at the thought of the Ottoman empire breaking up. Brtian traded heavily with the Ottoman empire but our biggest fear was large parts of the Ottoman empire falling in to the hands of the Russians.



There was a belief (which may have been misguided) that the Russians would not only control the Med but be in a position to threaten Britains trading interests in India. For this reason, we aligned ourselves with the Turks against the Russians.

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 15:27

It was so important to us that we even teamed up with our old enemy France. Self interest was the motive, we needed to protect our trade.



Regrettably, the Ottomans sent an ill trained and disciplined group of vagabonds in to a rebellious Bulgaria (which was part of the Ottoman empire). The Turks committed some pretty despicable crimes which got reported back to Britain. In learning about this, the British public were outraged and hence there were 500 demonstrations which took place all over the UK. Gladstone the liberal leader wanted Britain to stop supporting the Turks. He was pushing values, however the British Premier Disraeli was pushing self-interest. He still wanted us to support the Turks, so as to protect our vital interests.



There is a heck of a lot more to be read in the book about the Turk British Russian relationship. I have only submitted a mere snippet. Britain had a much stronger and cosy relationship with Turkey than I ever realised.

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 15:28

So the author goes on to say that nations will only get involved in matters of human rights when it does not cross national interests. There is a continual battle between the realists of self interest and prosperity and the Idealist who favour values..



He also strongly believes in the view of Lord Palmerston who said “We have no eternal allies and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow”.

So, although we strongly supported the Turks, Turkey became our enemy in the 1st world war and our long time foe France became our ally. Now again we are aligning ourselves with Turkey in their quest for EU membership. We recognise again that Turkey is playing a part in protecting our self interest.

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 15:29

The book also contains three interesting chapters on our relationship with China and there is a great chapter on the EU and UN’s involvement in the Balkans war and the EU’s relationship with America.

The book also challenges the perception that we have a special relationship with the US and confirms how destitute we were at the time of the Cyprus crisis. Macmilan had to beg Kennedy to give us nuclear weapons even though we had played a big part in helping the US develop the weapon in the first place.