Turkey-Middle East relationships (1983-1993)

The purpose of this work is, to evaluate the Middle Eastern policy that had an important place in Turkey?s foreign policy between the years 1983-1993. Since Turkey has closer relationship with Iran, Iraq Syria, Israel and Palestine, compared to other Middle Eastern countries, such countries were examined in this analysis. The years between 1983-1993, were under the Prime Ministry and Presidency of Turgut Özal, and in this study Özal?s approach to Middle East was also included.During this research, in addition to secondary sources, from the point of healthy evaluation of the events which occurred during the mentioned process, newspapers of the period were used, not only Turkish sources but foreign sources related to the subject were used.In the first section of the work, strategic importance and ethnical structure of the Middle Eastern region, Turkey?s position in the region and Turkey?s general policy towards the region was analyzed.In the second section, the relationship of Turkey with Iran, Iraq and Syria were given place. In the historical background, after explaining the Turkish and Iran relationships, problems that were revealed by Iran Islam Revolution from the point of Turkey were examined. Especially, Iran-Iraq War and Turkish policy in the Gulf War was emphasized. In the relations with Iraq and Syria, the problem of water was focused in. The disputes between Syria and Iraq related to Euphrates, Tigris and Assi River became even more evident with Turkey?s starting South East Project and has caused tensions in subjects related to terror, and Hatay.In the third section, Turkey?s attitude from the point of Turkey-Israel relations and towards Israel-Palestine problem was analyzed.Key Words: Middle East, Turkey-Iran Relationships, Turkey-Iraq Relationships, Turkey-Syrian Relationships, Turkey-Israel Relationships, Palestine Problem, Gulf Crisis.