Türkiye Cumhurbaşkanlarının Ahıska Türklüğüne Yönelik Politikaları
The Policies of Turkish Presidents on Meshkhetian Turks

Summary/Abstract: The present study offers a comparative analysis of the policies implemented by successive Presidents of the Republic of Turkey, from 1991 onwards, concerning the Meskhetian Turks. The presidents examined include Turgut Özal, Süleyman Demirel, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Abdullah Gül, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Specifically, the research deciphers the discourse of these presidents regarding this ethnic group, as articulated in their speeches during official visits to Central Asian countries, Georgia, or other countries around the world. A salient finding of this study is that Turkish leaders have persistently engaged with representatives of the Meskhetian Turk community during their visits to countries where this volk resides, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Furthermore, in their diplomatic engagements with Georgian heads of state, they regularly prioritised and advocated for the Meskhetian Turks' demands for repatriation to their ancestral homeland in the Meskheti region. This research draws upon a robust collection of primary sources. The sources from which this information has been obtained include the Süleyman Demirel Collection and Documentation Center, official parliamentary records of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), and crucial legislative documents such as the "Law on the Settlement of Meskhetian Turks." In addition to these, the texts of the speeches made by the presidents about Meskhetian Turks and their problems were taken into consideration. Consequently, the Data obtained through this method was subjected to qualitative content analysis.

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