Limits, Coexistence

Abstract

In 2004, Greek-Turkish relations were better than they had been for decades. The improved atmosphere was attributed to the “earthquake diplomacy” that had taken shape between Greece and Turkey after successive earthquakes rocked both countries in the summer of 1999. Greeks rushed to help the Turks in the city of Izmit in northwestern Turkey; one month later, Turks reciprocated when a second earthquake shook Greece. This spirit of friendship and reconciliation at the popular level engendered a surprising abatement of mutual suspicions at more formal levels of state, even among the military top brass. 1 The whole affair encouraged further examples of “disaster diplomacy” in international relations. 2 It seemed as if we were embarking on the best of times.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.

—Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities