POLL REVEALS TURKS SEE THE US AS THREAT, GREEKS TURKEY
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 11 2007
A joint public opinion survey simultaneously conducted in Greece
and Turkey has concluded that while Greeks view Turkey as the major
threat to their country, for Turks, the US poses the greatest threat
to their national security.
The Athens-based Elefterotipia daily newspaper published the results
of the "Infacto Research Workshop" conducted by the Turkish Bilgi
University and "KAPA Research" conducted by the Greek Center for
Political Research and Communication (KPEE).
The research’s section on Turkey indicates that 77.7 percent of
the surveyed Greeks view Turkey as threat. In the survey Turkey is
followed by Albania (5.6 percent) and Macedonia (2.3 percent).
For Turks the US is the most eminent source of threat with 35.6
percent. It is followed by a probable Kurdish state in northern
Iraq with 25.8 percent and Greece with 9.5 percent. The EU is ranked
fourth in the list of top threats (5.5 percent) and Israel is fifth
(4.2 percent), according to the survey. Iraq (3.4 percent), Armenia
(2.9 percent) and Iran (1.5 percent) followed in the list.
The research also shows that both Turks and Greeks see themselves
as nations with no friend or significant ally. Of those surveyed,
71.3 percent of Turks and 54.5 percent of the Greeks believe that
they have no political friends.
Majority of Turks say Ataturk represents nationalist values
Asked who they think represents their country’s nationalist conscience,
85.6 percent of Turks said it was Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern
Turkish Republic. Mehmet Akif Ersoy, author of Turkey’s national
anthem, was ranked second. Eighteen percent of Greek participants
answered the same question with Dionosis Solomos, the author of
the national anthem, and 16.1 percent said military hero Theodoros
Kolokotronis.
Asked what they believed would not befit their national values,
45.1 percent of Turks said atheism; 38.1 percent being Christian
or Jewish; 23.1 percent homosexuality; 20.8 percent communism; 19.4
percent fanatical Islam; and 8.1 percent said extreme nationalism.
For the same question, 47 percent of Greeks said being anti-democratic;
29.4 percent extreme nationalism; 20.9 percent being Muslim or
Jewish; 16.4 percent atheism; 12.8 percent empathizing with Turks
and Albanians; and 6.2 percent said homosexuality.
In response to questions on the EU, while 63.1 of Turks would vote
for EU membership if a referendum were held, 50 percent believe the
EU is trying to divide Turkey.
The research also revealed that 75 percent of Greeks believe there
are still Greek territories that wait to be liberated from the yoke of
foreign occupation. Nearly 18 percent of Greeks describe Ýstanbul, the
Black Sea region, the Aegean coasts and northern Cyprus as "lost land,"
and believe these lands should be taken back by force; however 80.35
percent believe it is not necessary for the military to intervene.
A majority of both populations prefer to use domestic products instead
of foreign products, even if the latter is less expensive.
Turks perceive the Ottoman Empire and the period of the republic
to be the most successful period, while Greeks perceive the ancient
Greek era and rule of Byzantium Empire to be their golden periods.
In response to the question "who has contributed the most to promoting
your country?" 15.5 percent of Turks said national soccer team coach
Fatih Terim while 20 percent of Greeks said actress and singer Melina
Mercouri.
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