Abstract


OUTLOOK ON RELATIONS OF TURKEY AND AFGHANISTAN AT THE PERIOD OF ATATÜRK UNDER THE “TURKISH-AFGHAN FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION TREATY”
Afghan territories, as of 19th century in particular, have experienced the dominance struggle of imperialist powers. Britain invaded Afghanistan in 1839. On February 19th, 1919 Amanullah Khan, a reformist, took the control of the state and many important developments were taken place under his ruling. In this process, Afghanistan gained her independence from Britain on 8 August 1919 with Treaty of Rawalpindi, thus the foundation of free and independent Afghanistan was laid. Right after gaining her independence, Afghanistan contacted with Turkish Government and the Turkish-Afghan relations increasingly continued in the years of National Struggles and the “Turkish-Afghan Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation” of March 1st, 1921 constituted the foundation of this relation. Afghan people heartily supported the War of Independence which started in Anatolia and this support set an example for all the Eastern Nations. This close relation continued after the Proclamation of the Republic. Amanullah Khan visited Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey on 20 May 1928 and he wanted to observe the principles of newly established modern Turkey in order to implement those principles in his country. In this visit, which was carried out by Amanullah Khan in order to contribute the development, education and modernisation of the Afghanistan, Amanullah Khan attracted a great deal of attention and friendship. The relations between two countries reached at the highest level.

Keywords
Atatürk, Afghanistan, Amanullah Han, Turkish-Afghan relations, National Struggle



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