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Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to Turkey (A$ millions) since 1988

Monthly value of Turkish merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988

Foreign relations exist between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Republic of Turkey. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1967. Australia has had an embassy in Ankara since 1968, a consulate-general in Istanbul and a consulate in Çanakkale. Turkey has had an embassy in Canberra since 1967 and two consulates-general in Melbourne and Sydney.

History

Gallipoli campaign

Memorial of ANZAC Cove; commemorating the loss of thousands of Turkish and Anzac soldiers in Gallipoli

The first encounter of Turkey and Australia was on the battlefields of Çanakkale. Allied troops from the British Empire, France and Russia landed in Gallipoli to secure passage through the Dardanelles, providing a naval route to Russia, an allied power.

The history between the two countries constitutes a strong foundation to further strengthen and deepen their relations in every field. The warm sentiments between Turkish and Australian nations were exemplified in the message of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which was sent to the Australian and New Zealander mothers in 1934 and is as follows:^[1]

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

The Çanakkale Battles are commemorated every year in Çanakkale on 24–25 April, with a wide participation from Australian and Turkish people alike. In Australia and New Zealand, as well as several other South Pacific nations, a public holiday is held for the event, known as Anzac Day. It is an important date on the Australian and New Zealand calendars, commemorating the sacrifices made by Australian and New Zealand soldiers in all battles and wars. Traditionally in these countries, a memorial service is observed at around 5:30 AM, known as a Dawn Service. This is a symbolic gesture to the troops that landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula at dawn. In 1985, 70 years after the battle, the Turkish government officially recognized the name ANZAC Cove, the location where the troops landed.

Since World War I

Contemporary

On 5 October 1967, the governments of Australia and Turkey signed an agreement to allow Turkish citizens to immigrate to Australia. Prior to this recruitment agreement, there were less than 3,000 people of Turkish origin in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 19,000 Turkish immigrants arrived from 1968 to 1974. The first Turkish immigrants were greeted at Sydney International Airport by Turkish Cypriots, whilst Turkish immigrants who moved to Melbourne were greeted at Essendon Airport by members of the Cyprus Turkish Association. They came largely from rural areas of Turkey; at the time, approximately 30% were skilled and 70% were unskilled workers. However, this changed in the 1980s when the number of skilled Turks applying to enter Australia had increased considerably. Over the next 35 years the Turkish population rose to almost 100,000. More than half of the Turkish community settled in Victoria, mostly in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne.^[2]

A ballot was held to allocate passes for Australians and New Zealanders wishing to attend Anzac Day commemorations at Gallipoli in 2015. Of the 10,500 people who could be safely, securely and comfortably accommodated at the Anzac Commemorative Site, in 2015 this comprised places for 8,000 Australians, 2,000 New Zealanders and 500 official representatives of all nations involved in the Gallipoli campaign. Only those who received an offer of attendance passes attended the commemorations in 2015.^[3]

In March 2019, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned "reckless" and "highly offensive" comments made by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.^[4] Erdoğan repeatedly showed video taken by the Christchurch mosque shooter to his supporters at campaign rallies for upcoming^[update] local elections and said Australians and New Zealanders who came to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments "would be sent back in coffins like their grandfathers were" during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I.^[5]