On July 26, 1962, N.S. Khrushchev met with Syrian Ambassador Rafik Asha for a farewell conversation before Asha’s departure to assume a higher post in Syria. Asha expressed deep appreciation for his time in the USSR and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening Soviet-Syrian relations. The discussion covered Syria’s internal challenges, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the dissolution of the Syrian-Egyptian union, with Khrushchev emphasizing continued Soviet support for Syria’s independence and stability.

Khrushchev shares details of recent Soviet economic achievements and discusses the possibility of a joint Soviet-Turkish dam project on the Aras River, which the Turkish ambassador, Fahri Korutürk, agrees to consider. Khrushchev expresses interest in improving bilateral relations, referencing historical cooperation, while briefly noting Turkey’s ties to NATO—a topic the ambassador chooses not to pursue.

On October 2, 1960, Nikita Khrushchev met with Turkish Foreign Minister Selim Sarper in New York to discuss bilateral relations, disarmament, and the global political climate. Sarper conveyed greetings from General Gürsel and emphasized Turkey’s desire for good-neighborly relations based on realism and stability. Khrushchev criticized the presence of foreign military bases in Turkey, arguing they pose risks to Turkey without enhancing security, and suggested a neutral, cooperative stance for Turkey in the Black Sea region. Both leaders discussed challenges in improving Soviet-American relations and the broader Cold War context, including the recent U-2 incident. Sarper acknowledged Turkey’s economic difficulties and expressed optimism about gradual improvements in Soviet-Turkish relations. The conversation concluded with mutual agreement on the importance of diplomatic patience and fostering personal connections between leaders to achieve peace and stability.

This document summary was generated by an artificial intelligence language model and was reviewed by a Wilson Center staff member.

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