Дипломатия катастроф: влияние двух землетрясений (1999, 2023) на греко-турецкие отношения

Историческая экспертиза. 2023. № 3. С. 62–81.

Александрова А. К.

One of the aspects of contemporary humanitarian diplomacy is cooperation and assistance after natural and man-made disasters, sometimes referred to as “disaster diplomacy”. While inevitably associated with tragic events and loss of lives, disaster diplomacy can be an important factor in alleviating international tensions. A classic example of disaster diplomacy was the development of Greek-Turkish relations after the earthquakes of 1999. International cooperation in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquake is another case, so far almost completely unexplored by scholars.

Neither in 1999 nor in 2023 disaster was able to solve the key issues in Greek-Turkish relations. But in both cases, it did establish a new framework for bilateral relations in which cooperation became at least a possibility. Its influence was not limited to the political institutions but had a significant impact on society as a whole, since the post-disaster cooperation allowed the Greek and Turkish people to see each other as neighbors ready to assist in a dire situation rather than an historic enemy, and the long-established image of the enemy was substantially amended. Because of this, the ongoing deep metamorphoses of the historical memory of neighboring peoples are associated with overcoming disasters. In 1999 Greek and Turkey became closer aligned in terms of European politics. In 2023, as part of the post-disaster cooperation, the provocations in the Aegean Sea ceased, hinting at the possibility of solving the Aegean issue. In both cases, the persistent myth of impossibility of cooperation and fruitful coexistence is gradually being dismantled.

Keywords: евроинтеграция, European integration, греко-турецкие отношения, Greek-Turkish relations, disaster diplomacy, metamorphoses of historical memory, earthquake diplomacy, earthquake in Turkey and Greece (1999), earthquake in Turkey and Syria (2023), Aegean dispute, метаморфозы исторической памяти, дипломатия катастроф, дипломатия землетрясений, , землетрясение в Турции и Греции (1999), землетрясение в Турции и Сирии (2023), эгейский спор