Turkey in NATO: an extraordi­ nary position

Abstract

In this article the Turkish view on the membership of the country in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is analysed. Entering of the Turkish Republic into the organisation had been possible thanks to the multifaceted and stressful performance of the government of the country. Turkey’s historically inherent ability to provide regional leadership was challenged. The geopolitical reality of the period after World War II required the search for allies. The confrontation between the USSR and the West began to determine the trends of world development, and the circumstance required Ankara to decide: to which pole to join. Joining NATO was chosen as more acceptable among both undesirable options. Subsequently, the influence of the re­gion and the desire to ensure its own security mainly on its own repeatedly led Turkey to the need to defend exclusive national interests within the framework of the NATO. In addition, in a situation of permanent destabilisation in the Middle East, Ankara has not always agreed with NATO’s strategy in this region, reflecting mainly US interests.