Westernization is also thought of a security strategy in that Turkey would feel itself safe and secure if it came closer to the West/Europe and its Western/European identity were recognized as such by Westerners/Europeans (Oğuzlu, 2003, 285- 299). Given that the Ottoman Empire came to an end at the hands of the Western European nations, the founding fathers of the Republic assumed that Turkey’s security would improve, if Europeans saw Turkey as a member of the Western/European family of nations.

This process has both negative and positive connotations in the context of Turkish diplomatic history. Turks love and hate Westerners simultaneously. The negative experiences of the Ottoman past would assumingly be left behind if Turkey completed its Westernization process. However, whenever Westerners/Europeans questioned the credentials of Turkey’s Western identity, the dominant view on the part of the majority of Turks happened to be that Westerners did never and would never recognize Turkey as Western/European. For example, the reluctance of Europeans to admit Turkey to EU membership has generally been interpreted as the continuation of the traditional European attitude towards Turkey, according to which Turks have been among the constitutive others of Europeans.