MASARYK UNIVERSITY Faculty of Social Studies Masarykova Univerzita v Brn / eska Republika Department of Political Science And Department of International Relations and European Studies ‘’ A comparison of Greek and Turkish foreign policies towards Visegrad- Four countries (relatively; the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary) ’’ Master's Thesis Görkem Atsungur Supervisor: doc. JUDr. PhDr. Miroslav Mares, Ph.D. UCO: 922 Field of Study: Political Science - European Politics Year of enrollment: 2005 Brno, 2007 0 I hereby declare that this thesis, which I submit for assesment is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others unless such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text my work. Date: Signature: 1 Acknowledgements This thesis marks at the end of the two years of my studies in the Political Science - European Politics Programme at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University in the Czech Republic. I want to thank all lectures who have been teaching in the programme for sharing their academic knowledge with us. My appreciation goes to doc. JUDr. PhDr. Miroslav Mares willingly took upon the role as my supervisor during the writing of this thesis. A special word of appreciation also goes to Mgr. Jolana Navrátilová for helping all the time. Also, I would like to thank my family for everything and supporting me to study at Masaryk University. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction...................................................................................................5-17 1.1 Foreword.......................................................................................................5-10 1.2 Aim of Thesis................................................................................................10 1.3 Importance of Topic......................................................................................10-12 1.4 Reseacrh Questions........................................................................................13-14 1.5 Scope and Limitation.....................................................................................14-15 1.6 Metholodgy and Theoretical background......................................................15-17 2. The Main core of Greek and Turkish foreign policies' objectives.............19-24 2.1 Introduction....................................................................................................19-21 2.2 The main core of Greek and Turkish foreign policies' objectives..................21-23 2.3 Conclusion.......................................................................................................23-24 3. Foreign Policies of Greece towards Visegrad countries...............................26-54 3.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................26-28 3.2 The Czech Republic.........................................................................................28-40 3.3 Slovakia............................................................................................................40-46 3.4 Poland...............................................................................................................46-48 3.5 Hungary............................................................................................................48-52 3.6 Greek Party Politics towards Visegrad Parties.................................................52-54 3 4. Foreign Policies of Turkey towards Visegrad countries...............................56-75 4.1 Introduction......................................................................................................56-60 4.2 The Czech Republic..........................................................................................60-64 4.3 Slovakia.............................................................................................................64-66 4.4 Poland...............................................................................................................66-70 4.5 Hungary............................................................................................................70-74 4.6 Turkish Party Politics towards Visegrad Parties..............................................74-75 5. Comparison of Greek and Turkish foreign policies' towards Visegrad countries.....77-79 5.1 Basic similarities of Greek and Turkish foreign policies towards Visegrad countries.....77 5.2 Basic differences of Greek and Turkish foreign policies towards Visegrad countries....78-79 5.3 Evaluation of the first hypothesis.....................................................................................79 6. Main Conclusion.......................................................................................................81-83 List of Acronyms...........................................................................................................84-85 Abstract..........................................................................................................................86 Bibliography...................................................................................................................87-95 Characters (with spaces): 164.175 4 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Foreword Both Greece and Turkey have an aim of being a leader country in the region. These two South East European Countries have peaceful relations with their neighbour countries. Both of them try to increase their power in the world politics. Moreover, both of these two South East European countries are important policy actors in the international system. Both Greece and Turkey are member of the United Nations (the UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Organisation for Economic and Development (OECD), Council of Europe and Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). Therefore, both Greece and Turkey have been following very similar foreign policies and try to increase her influences in the region. After the disintegration of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR) in 1989, the international system start to change dramatically. First of all, there was not continuation of the threat of ''enemy '' anymore. During the Cold War, Greece and Turkey were belonging to the Western Block under the leadership of the United States (the US) and Visegrád – Four countries; relatively former Czechoslavakia, Poland and Hungary, were belonging to the Eastern Block under the leadership of Russia. This division of internatioanl system and shape of bi-polar international system affect to their political relations spontaneously. When Greece and Turkey tried to have relationship with the Soviet Union (the SU), the US tried to cut off their relations as much as she can. Because both Greece and Turkey had strategic importance during the Cold war. Western block can not allow to Greece and Turkey to change democratic regime into Communist regime such as in the case of Central Europe. Therefore, the US paid the maximum attention to these two South East European countries in order to prevent of having relations with the SU. 5 Such as Marshall Plan, NATO membership and the supportance of integration with the West Europe, these two South East European countries had reached to maximum level political relations with the West in stead of the East. Therefore, neither Greece nor Turkey had not any chance to increase political relations and cooperations with the Visegrád – Four countries. But on the other hand, these two South East European countries had some level of economic relations with the Eastern Block countries at that time. But their political relations were at minimum level. After the end of Cold War, Greece and Turkey had to produce foreign policies towards Central Europe. Even during the Cold War, both of these two South East European countries had to some level of political relations with East Europe. For example, both Greece and Turkey have borders with East European countries such as Bulgaria. Therefore, their political relations with East Europe should be better rather than relations with Central European countries. Also, there are other factors which they could continue their political relations, such as history, economic needs, societical and cultural linkages and minorities situation. For example, Greek and Turkish political relations with the East European countries such as Bulgaria and Romania were traced back many centuries ago. Both Bulgaria and Romania were controlled under Greek and Turkish authorities in the past. Therefore, they might continue their bilateral relations even during the Cold War. These factors let to have more intensive bilateral relations with the Eastern European countries rather than Central European countries. As a result of these, East Europe is always part of their foreign policies. But the notion of ‘’Central Europe’’ was a new concept for both Greece and Turkey such as other Western countries.1 As a result of this, both Greece and Turkey had foreign policy problems towards Visegrád – Four countries in the beginning of 1990s. They did not know how to act 1 Greece and Turkey are not located in the West Europe. But during the Cold War, they were part of the Western block. Therefore, they are evaluated as a Western countries politically. 6 towards these countries. It is true that they had been political and diplomatic relations before World War II (WWII). But the international system had been dramatically changed especially the disintegration of USSR when nobody expected