regional cooperation

Submitted by Mozere (United Kingdom), Mar 1, 2012 at 12:22

1 The Ottomans retook the Morea,which they lost in 1690,in 1717 with the help of local Greeks who were thoroughly fed up with the venetians,and wanted the Ottomans back.

2 compared with the squalid conditions of northern European cities of the time the Balkans was a paradise.Ionian islands were trading outposts so a more apposite comparison would be Sicily and calabria.

3 Ottomans provided safe havens for the Polish and Hungarian patriots and the king of Sweden in 1711 in the Balkans,so christians felt safe there.

4 Albanians chose islam so as not to be swallowed up by their Greek and Slav neighbours.

5 Most of the countries surrounding Turkey are in turmoil,this affects Turkey.Whether it wants it or not it is drawn.For example there are a lot of Turkish citizens of Caucasian descent some of them whom agitate for action or they take action themselves secretly.

6 According to a poll held recently Turkey had the biggest negative opinion concerning the USA even surpassing that in Pakistan.Turkish parliament refused permission for the USA to use its territory for invasion of Iraq.

7 Turkey does not toe the line in relation to Iran.

8 Contrary to what some commentators say Turkish lobby groups in the USA are puny compared to Israeli and Greek groups.

9 Turkish fears of Greece is that it will use its Islands to cut Turkey off open seas and deny its rights to the continental shelf.

10 We also fear that Greece will use its influence in the EU and in Russia and USA to harm Turkey.

11 This state of affairs is draining the two countries.We should start by encouraging trade activities between the two countries,as our cultures have many similarities we can enjoy each others talented musicians,film stars and writers.Greek singers and films were very popular in Turkey,but we donot see them very often nowadays.Iam glad they are showing Turkish TV series in Greece and Balkans.

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