Chilean - Turkish relationships, 1926-2016: An account of diplomatic history

Chile and Turkey are two independent states geographically distant from one another. In spite of the long distance between the two countries, they share an important friendship since 1926. After the First World War, Chile was the first country in the Latin American continent to formally recognize the Republic of Turkey, which gained independence following the Turkish War of Independence. In January 1926, the two countries signed a Friendship Agreement and Consular Convention in Rome. As the young Turkish republic entered a challenging period in international relations, she did not forget Chile's decision that led other Latin American countries to sign similar treaties with the Turkish government. The political and social developments that both countries experienced from the beginning to the end of the Cold War reveal great similarities. This thesis follows the diplomatic relations between the two countries through official diplomatic documents that were retrieved from the Chilean and Turkish state archives. Such diplomatic correspondence is important since it reflects the political agenda and zeitgeist of the period. The diplomatic documents studied in the thesis demonstrate that Chile and Turkey are progressing their existing friendly relations to higher levels and are moving towards a strategic partnership.