Η επικοινωνιακή πολιτική της Τουρκίας για την βελτίωση της εικόνας της στη Δύση

Abstract

In contrast to Greece, Turkey’s general image in the west has always been
somewhat equivocal. This has had direct political repercussions and has forced
Ankara to take action. There is a general conviction nowdays that the development
of a friendly profile for secular Turkey would help it to realise its political
aspirations and above all to improve its relations with the European Union, Lately,
Tyrkey has decided to launch a concerted effort across the board, from cultural
events to bublic relations firms, to bring about contacts with government
representatives and businessmen.
Hitherto, Ankara has been assiduously cultivating its lobby in Washington,
taking care to use people who have connections with the Israeli lobby. It has only
occasionally used certain public relations firms in connection with the Kurdish and
the Armenian Question in the last fifteen years.
Perhaps the most interesting factor is that it was from the Ottoman Empire that
Turkey inherited the problem of its European identity and its dream of being accepted by the West. When the Empire's wealthier regions were in its European
part, the Allies refused to recognise the Ottomans as a European power. The same is
the case with Turkey. The nation-state also inherited the other two points of friction
(the Kurdish and the Armenian Question) from the multi-ethnic Empire. Following
the rejection of its application to join the European Union, Turkey now has an
organised communications policy designed to reverse irrevocable decisions and facts.