Turkey recognises the importance of maintaining diplomatic ties with all its neighbours.

Turkey and Greece are both members of NATO.

Turkey and Bulgaria have bilateral trade agreements. Since the end of the cold war many Bulgarian Turks have chosen to live in Turkey.

Turkey maintains good relations with Georgia; significant populations of ethnic Georgians live in Turkey and visa versa. There is  an ongoing Baku-Tiblisi-Kars railway project.

Turkey and Armenia signed the ‘Zurich protocol’ in 2009 with the aim to improve their relationship which would benefit both countries. Armenia imports goods from Turkey via Georgia. There is as yet no open border. The two counties have met at international sports tournaments and one hopes that in the near future the two countries will come to a peaceful understanding over tragic past events…

Turkey and Azerbeycan share close linguistic and historical ties: cuisine, folklore and traditional music are very similar. With some differences in pronunciation, the two languages are mutually intelligible.  

Turkey and Iran share historical, cultural and religious links. Turkey imports much of its natural gas from Iran.

Turkeys relationship with Iraq is influenced by domestic, regional and international factors.

Turkey’s control of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers which flow into Iraq have created tensions in the past. However both countries work towards maintaining a constructive relationship. There is a significant  population of ‘Turcomen’ (2 million?) Turks living in North Iraq.

Turkey shares a long mainly flat border with Syria. Prior to the outbreak of civil war in Syria, local families lived and worked on both sides of the border.  This border was decided by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.

Prior to 2011 the present writer visited Syria several times. She was very impressed by the  friendliness and attitude of everyone she met whatever their religious or political outlook…