"Valuable assets for US defence"
We must recognise the very substantial investment that the United States
has made in the Turkish armed forces, aggregating $8.8 billion between 1946
and 1987. Since 1982 the United States through its Military Assistance Program,
Economic Support Fund, and International Military Educational Training Program,
has allocated annually to Turkey from $600 to $800 million, averaging $700
million. During the same period Greece has received from $300 to $600 million
annually; Spain, $160 to $400 million; and Portugal $100 to $200 million.
The United States still maintains rights in six military bases in Turkey:
Sinop on the Black Sea, Incirlik, Umurtalik and Iskendrun in South Central
Turkey, Beelbasi near Ankara and Diyarbakir in eastern Turkey. These are valuable
assets for US defence, as well as for the defence of Turkey and NATO. (S.
173)
Another problem that involves both American public opinion and congressional
action ist the continuing effort by persons of Armenian descent to redress
incidents that occurred during World War I between Turks and the Turkish-Armenian
minority. Although greatly to be regretted, it must be remembered that many
of these events involved Armenians accused of collaboration with the Soviets,
with whom Turkey was at war, when Turkey was under the Sultan. The Armenians
were at that time being encouraged by the Soviets […] to set up an independent
state. (S. 167 f.; historische Ignoranz aus dem Mund des ehemaligen US-Botschafters
in der Türkei McGhee!)
Americans, I believe, are fortunate that we, as a nation, have developed
such close ties with Turkey, in light of the sort of country, Turkey is and
where it is located. If we are to preserve these ties, we must be respectful
of Turkey's claims on our partnership. We must place Turkey high on the priority
list of nations we are willing to assist. We must contest efforts to relate
through some mechanistic formula the aid we give to Turkey to what we give
to Greece. We must restrain the Armenian-American groups that seek to revive
age-old issues at the expense of current relations with the Turks. We must
seek restraint for those who would leave Turkey to bear the full brunt of
a Gramm-Rudman-type aid reduction while Israel and Egypt continue to receive
almost half of all US foreign aid.
Our attitude toward Turkey should not be viewed as altruism, gratitude for
past favours, or sympathy because Turkey has lagged in its economic development.
It should be based on the role Turkey has played in the past in the world
power game - and the role it can play in the future. The Turks are a resolute
people willing to fight for their freedom; Turkey lies athwart Soviet access
to the world's greatest repository of oil and strategic territory. We must
be sure it remains the common interest of Turkey and the United States to
maintain Turkey's role. (S. 180)