Conclusion.

The article discusses Turkey's relations with Iraq, Iran and Syria. These relations are shaped not only by current developments and issues, but also by deeper, structural determinants, which mold Turkish policy towards the Middle East. The first of these determinants, historical memories, has been shaped above all by the events surrounding the Ottoman Empire's final dissolution in the early twentieth century and has left a legacy of territorial grievances, resentments and mutual suspicions which continue to affect Turkey's relations with Iraq and Syria.