Ataturk and Afghanistan

There are strong historical ties between Afghanistan and Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who gave special importance to international relations even during the War of Independence and acted as if the Republic of Turkey was established even when there was no "state", always considered it necessary to attach special importance to Afghanistan. Knowing the geostrategic value of this country, where the southern part of Turkestan is located, Atatürk acted with an approach that describes Afghanistan as the Turks' gateway to the east.

Afghanistan following the establishment of the Turkish Grand National Assembly; It immediately supported Turkey's liberation struggle and became one of the first countries to recognize the GNAT government. In this sense, Atatürk also took steps to improve relations with Afghanistan. With the decision taken by the GNAT government, a representative office was opened in Afghanistan. Abdurrahman Samadan, an Afghan-born Turkish officer appointed as the representative within the framework of this decision, was in Kabul between August 1920 and June 25, 1922. Fahrettin (Türkkan) Pasha, the former Guard of Medina, was appointed as the Ambassador and served in Kabul between 26 June 1922 and 12 May 1926.

Atatürk always turned his face to the West, accepted Western values ​​as a whole, believed that Western civilization should be followed in order to advance on the path of contemporary civilization, and he pioneered the realization of Turkish revolutions in line with this belief. Even while aiming to make his country and nation a member of the civilized world in the direction of the West, he did not cut off his contact with the Eastern world, on the contrary, he considered it necessary to deal closely with the Turkish and Islamic states and Turkic communities in the east, within the framework of the possibilities of the Turkish state at that time, in order to keep it strong. In this framework, the newly established regime in Turkey reconstructed its foreign policy with Iran and Afghanistan within the framework drawn by Atatürk. Atatürk, who led the struggle against British imperialism in Anatolia; thought that it is necessary to act jointly with Iran, our common border, and Afghanistan, our distant neighbor, which are waging similar struggles, against the British in the following processes. Turkey's foreign policy towards these countries made it possible to act together on an anti-imperialist line.

The British, whose hegemony over India continues; Within the scope of the 'great game', they acted with the thought of shaping the geography of Afghanistan and creating the Turkey-Iran-Afghanistan line against the Russians under their own control. In this case, these three countries opposed the British approach and tended to act jointly against the British. This unity built; During the Atatürk period, he paved the way for Turkey to act in solidarity with Iran and Afghanistan. The remarkable number of people of Turkish origin in both Iran and Afghanistan added a different dimension to Turkey's contacts with these countries during the Atatürk period.

In this context, full contact with Afghanistan has also been established. Atatürk appointed ambassadors to Afghanistan, representing the Republic of Turkey, from people close to him and whom he trusted. After Atatürk, Nebil (West) Bey was appointed to Kabul following Fahrettin Pasha, served in Kabul between 17 May 1926 and 30 June 1928, followed by Yusuf Hikmet Bayur (Atatürk's Private Secretary) 30 June 1928 - 1 August He held the same post between 1931. After Hikmet Bey, Mahmut Şevket Esendal served as Ambassador in Afghanistan between 19 November 1933 and 31 October 1941.

Atatürk was in contact with Amanullah Khan, who was the King of Afghanistan at that time. Upon his father's murder, Amanullah Khan, who ascended the throne at the age of 27 in Afghanistan in 1919, became a historical figure, in a way, seen as the Atatürk of Afghanistan. In the same year, with the support of Afghan tribes, he defeated the British in the war he entered and ensured that the British influence in his country came to an end on 8 August 1919. Thereupon, Atatürk sent Bekir Sami Bey to Amanullah Khan on August 18, 1920, while the War of Independence was still going on, and thus close contact was established with the Afghans. Meanwhile, the Afghans wanted to draw Soviet Russia to their side as a strong ally against the British. While the Soviets recognized Afghanistan on February 28, Turkey signed an alliance agreement with Afghanistan on March 1, 1921 in Moscow.

Amanullah Khan, who married Süreyya, the daughter of Mahmud Tarzi, who is considered the father of Afghan modernization and Afghan nationalism, made the country's first constitution that separates religion and state affairs in 1923 with the contributions of his father-in-law. The reforms that he tried to implement during his short 10-year rule that lasted until 1929 were seen as almost exactly 'copy' of those in Turkey.

Like Mustafa Kemal, Afghan leader Amanullah Khan's victory against the British army had a great impact among Indian Muslims, and it was instrumental in the emigration of Muslims from this country to Afghanistan.

This development made it clear that the British had to keep Indian Islam under control. As a matter of fact, at that time, the rumors that the states of Iran, Afghanistan, Turkestan and Bukhara were getting ready to form a great state under the umbrella of a Muslim federation disturbed all colonial states. The possibility of Amanullah Khan, who was the head of Afghanistan, who did not bow to the British in particular, to lead such a federation was considered as a dangerous development in terms of British sovereignty in India. Being on the side of Afghanistan and acting jointly with them, Indian Islam supported Atatürk, who led the independence war in Anatolia, which they saw as an extension of their struggle against the imperialist British.

In this respect, Atatürk's close interest in Afghanistan enabled Afghans to show closeness to Mustafa Kemal. After the Treaty of Lausanne, the first foreign president to congratulate Atatürk was Amanullah Khan. Again, after the proclamation of Ankara as the new capital of Turkey, the only embassies that were moved to Ankara were the embassies of the Soviet Union and Afghanistan. Atatürk, who closely followed and appreciated Amanullah Khan and his modernization movements, hosted Amanullah Khan and his accompanying delegation in our country between 19-28 May 1928, who wanted to "see Mustafa Kemal's New Turkey on site" as part of an official visit to our country.

Atatürk, who devoted himself to establishing a modern Turkey, also found this visit appropriate and important. One of the biggest goals of Atatürk, who led the establishment of the secular republican regime in Turkey, was to introduce the young republic to the eastern societies. In this context, it was a different chance for both countries that Afghanistan was led by Amanullah Khan, who had a parallel world view with Mustafa Kemal and tried to follow a similar path with Turkey on the way to modernization.

Since it is the first visit to the Republic of Turkey at the level of the president, this historical trip was also found important. Atatürk welcomed his guest with great hospitality. He had the opportunity to introduce the achievements of the Republic of Turkey to him. He showed special friendship to Amanullah Khan and helped the preparation of a detailed travel program by the Ministry of National Defense and Foreign Affairs. This trip has made positive contributions to the relations between the two countries from that period to the present.

An excerpt from Atatürk's speech at the first official dinner given in Ankara on the occasion of Amanullah Khan's visit is presented below, in order to show the value and importance Atatürk attached to relations with Afghanistan.

“… The relations between the Afghan nation and our ancestors, whose origin is Central Asia, and the bonds of fraternity are very ancient. The indelible pages of history are filled with eternal memories of those relationships. Today's Afghan and Turkish nations are the sons of great nations that have left their memories in countless centuries and great continents. … our dear friend, His Royal Highness! While the rulers of His Excellency were fighting for independence in the middle of Asia, in the middle of Asia in 1919, in the heart of the heroic Afghan nation, we were also fighting with our breasts as a shield against the blows inflicted on our independence and freedom, here on the east of Europe, in the heart of the entire civilized world. … The Afghan nation and the Turkish nation, these two brotherly nations, have actually proven that they are true devotees of this principle (the stance towards the struggle for independence). His Royal Highness! I appreciate how much peace and tranquility your activities and work on the path of civil and tenets of reform have brought, and I sincerely hope that you will have the opportunity to do so. Although the geographical situation of Afghanistan and therefore the political law of your state is important, serious and delicate. … With the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan, its tough and tough nature, the positive intelligence, courage and heroism of the Afghan nation, and especially the high personality of the distinguished ruler of the Afghan state, are a monument that rises with certainty and might against all odds. We know this and appreciate the heart with feelings…”

As a token of the developing relations, the land where the Turkish Embassy in Kabul is established was gifted to Turkey by Amanullah Khan. Today, this Embassy building is built on a large land and is a beautiful campus that reflects the glory of our country in the east. In a way, it is like Atatürk's house in Kabul.

After Amanullah Khan's visit, Iran Shah Reza Pahlavi also visited between 10 June 1934 and 07 July 1934. The visit of Pahlavi, who became Shah in 1925, to our country also served as a complementary function to Atatürk's Eastern policy, which we mentioned at the beginning. The efforts of this country, which has similar future visions, to establish a new and modern social order by breaking its ties with its past heritage, brought the two countries closer to each other. A series of top-down modernizations led by Pahlavi in ​​Iran me projects have been implemented. Although there are many different paths followed by countries in the development and implementation of these projects, one of the most important purposes of Riza Pahlavi's visit was the desire to see these developments in Turkey closely. Since the Shah was not in favor of copying the social doctrines of the West exactly, he visited Atatürk to investigate in order to find an oriental ideological answer and solution to his country's problems, and he found it necessary to benefit from Turkey's experience on this subject.

As a result, in the context of the Middle East and Asia, this union between Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey, which was established during the Atatürk period, has brought the Kemalist worldview and revolutions beyond the borders of Turkey to be taken as an example in these two countries. However, the fact that these countries, while adopting the Atatürk model, wanted to preserve the Shah's regime instead of transitioning to democracy and the associated republican regime, caused both countries to be dragged into a very different future process from the Republic of Turkey. Both countries have paid a heavy price for not being able to move to democracy and republican administration. The kingdoms were destroyed, civil wars broke out, and sharia-based administrations came to the fore.

As Atatürk evaluated the history as correct, he also saw the future clearly. In his speech at the dinner he gave to Amanullah Khan:

“The sun, which begins to rise from the high horizons of the future, is the fortune of the nations that have suffered for centuries! It is up to the care and dedication of the nations and the leaders who rule them that this fortune no longer takes over the black clouds.”

he said. Today, who is responsible for the atmosphere of instability and insecurity that has befallen Afghanistan is mentioned in these statements.

Some references that we used in this article:

Atuk M.V. (2017). “Visit of Iran Shah Reza Pahlavi to Turkey”, Journal of Contemporary Turkish History Studies, Journal of Modern Turkish History Studies XVII/35 (2017-Fall/Autumn), pp. 219-247.

Akbas I. (2008). “Afghan King Amanullah Khan's Trip to Turkey”, ÇTTAD, VII/16-17, (2008/Spring-Fall), pp.s.311-333

Çeçen A. (2006) Turkey and Eurasia, Fark Publications, 1st Edition, Ankara.

Saray M. (1987). Afghanistan and Turks, IU Faculty of Letters, Istanbul, 1987.