January, 2001

Turkey's Foreign Policy Crisis: the Massacre of Armenians

Beshir Abdel-Fatah

The issue of Turkey's mass extermination of Armenians has escalated tension between Ankara and the West, with the latter accusing the Ottoman Empire of annihilating almost 1.5 million Armenians in the period 1915-23.
Turkey, for its part, has denied this, declaring that only 300,000 Armenians were killed during fighting that occurred between the Armenians and a number of armed groups that were not receiving their orders from the Ottoman government. Turkey also stated that thousands of Ottomans were also killed during the fighting.


Despite the success of Turkey's efforts to prevent the issue from escalating, the controversy nevertheless reflects the real crisis that Turkish foreign policy is facing. While the roots of the problem can be traced back to the Ottoman age, its consequences are still being felt. The European Union, for example, managed to use it as a pretext to block Turkey's membership.
The crisis also came close to damaging US-Turkish relations. Washington, however, encouraged by its strategic relationship with Turkey, decided to review the congress resolution condemning the Ottoman Empire. The US stance reflects Clinton's realization of the significance of sustaining good relations with Ankara, an ally that serves US interests in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasus.


The essence of Turkey's foreign policy crisis is its split and unclear nature. The country endeavors to present itself as part of the West, yet its historic and cultural legacy hampers these efforts. The West cannot forget its history of conflict with the Ottoman Empire, just as Turkey itself has not managed to eradicate the memory of this important era.


Evidence of Turkey's unclear policy is clear, with Ankara making approaches to Israel and the West, while at the same time declaring that this rapprochement will never be at the expense of maintaining its relations with the Arab and Islamic countries. Such contradiction, however, damages Turkey's credibility before the West.