시리아와 터키의 관계 발전에 관한 연구

A Study on the Rapprochement between Syria and Turkey

Syrian–Turkish relations have long been strained even though Syria shares its longest common border with Turkey and various geographic, cultural, and historical links tie the two neighboring states together. This friction has been due to disputes including the self annexation of the Hatay Province to Turkey in 1939, the water disputes resulting from the GAP, the Syria’s support for the PKK, and the Ankara's closeness to Israel. The relations have changed since 1998 when Syria and Turkey signed the Adana agreement. According to this agreement, Syria stopped its support for the PKK. After then, Syria and Turkey have improved the economic, political and even military ties every year. The explanation for this developing friendship comes from the new diplomatic strategies adopted by the both states in recent years. Syria's shift towards Turkey has emerged out of more desperate circumstances: frozen out by the US, the EU and the so-called moderate Arab states after the 2003 Iraq war and the 2005 Hariri assassination in Lebanon. Therefore Bashar al-Assad was forced to cast new allies. Turkey has adopted the arch-realist position at the beginning of 21th century. It is caused by the slow EU accession process and disappointment at the US invasion of Iraq. At the same time Turkish foreign policy makers advocated the increased Turkish "strategic depth" with its neighbours – promoting its cultural, economic and political influence further than in the past, especially since the AKP came to power in 2002.