The foreign aid policy of the republic of Turkey aimed at Balkan states

It is an undeniable fact that there have been some developments affecting the political life worldwide significantly and in line with these developments, foreign policy of the countries undergo some changes. World War II appears to be a milestone having an enormous effect on the bilateral relations between states. Foreign aid, which was in use even before WW II, has begun to be implemented in a more sistematic way and in harmony with the political priorities of the countries. Foreign aid, at first provided in the form of direct financing by the developed countries to underdeveloped or developing countries, got diversified in time, in terms of content and the number of aid providing countries. The Republic of Turkey founded TIKA, at that time bearing the name "Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency" when fundamental changes occurred as a consequence of the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and started to give technical assistance primarily to newly independant states of the Central Asian Turkish Republics via TIKA. Later on, in line with the developments both in domestic politics and in the international arena, Turkish foreign aid started to reach other countries in different parts of the world, too. The Balkan Peninsula, has been a region with great importance for the Republic of Turkey since its foundation. The common history and the Turkish/Muslim community in the Balkan states enabled the Republic of Turkey to show a special interest to the region, starting from the very early days of its foundation. In this sense, as a result of Turkish aid notably provided by TIKA along with various institutions and organizations, more lives in the Balkan states are able to change each passing day. It is obvious that foreign aid aimed at Balkan states in general and TIKA projects in particular contribute significantly to the intensification of the bilateral relations carried out in various fields with the Balkan states. Key Words: Balkans, Foreign aid, Foreign policy, TIKA.