Abstract
After the breakdown of the Ottoman Empire and the end of World War I, the Middle Eastern region was waiting for its fate to be decided. Newborn countries were ethnically and religiously diverse and this fact became an obstacle on the way of acquiring political sovereignty, consolidating the new regime’s grip in power and ensuring interstate stability. Nevertheless, Turkey and Syria were the fi rst countries to secure sustainable development of a state. This article analyzes the factors that enabled aforementioned countries to become leading regional actors. Each factor is based on the analysis of both internal and external political events. In addition, the author compares similar aspects. Moreover, this piece of work investigates the peculiarities of Hatay issue which is regarded to be a starting point of bilateral relations. Evolution of this issue and viewpoints of Syria and Turkey is presented in the article. There is a conclusion devoted to the modern state of the question and an attempt to forecast its future.
Keywords
Turkey, Syria, Alexandretta, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Hafez Assad
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