06.07.2026 20:20
The General Directorate of Cinema of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has opened access to a historical film archive from Turkey's early years of NATO membership. The archive includes footage of then-Prime Minister Adnan Menderes' participation in the 1957 Paris NATO Summit, as well as images of Foreign Minister Fuat Köprülü, Vice Admiral Fahri Korutürk, and Turkey's initial military activities within NATO.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the archive opened by the General Directorate of Cinema contains numerous historical records documenting Turkey's diplomatic, military, and political activities within NATO, filmed between 1952 and 1959.
ADNAN MENDERES AT A CRITICAL SUMMIT OF THE COLD WAR
Among the prominent records in the archive are images of then-Prime Minister Adnan Menderes attending the NATO Heads of Government Meeting held in Paris, the capital of France, from December 16-19, 1957. The meeting, considered one of the critical summits of the Cold War, addressed the increasing military and technological capacity of the Soviet Union, enhancing NATO's deterrence power, and strengthening political cooperation among member countries. The footage includes Menderes' contacts with NATO leaders, his meeting with French Prime Minister Felix Gaillard, his visit to NATO Headquarters, and the diplomatic contacts of the Turkish delegation. Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu is seen accompanying Menderes at the summit.
THE MEETING WHERE TURKEY WAS REPRESENTED FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A NATO MEMBER
The archive also contains footage from 1952, the year Turkey joined NATO. Records including the assessment speech made by Foreign Minister Fuat Köprülü after the Atlantic Council Meeting hold historical significance as they document the period when Turkey was represented for the first time at international platforms as a NATO member. The records also include details about the diplomatic protocol of the era, the international press order, and Turkey's foreign policy approach in the early years of the Cold War.
FIRST JOINT NATO EXERCISES
The film archive also includes images related to NATO maneuvers held in Southeast Europe in 1953. The exercises, involving allied countries on NATO's southern flank, primarily Turkey, Greece, and Italy, stand out as one of the first joint military activities Turkey participated in within NATO. Footage of official visits between the naval commanders of Turkey and Greece following their NATO membership is also included. It was stated that preparations for joint exercises and contacts regarding military coordination contributed to the implementation of NATO standards and the development of the allied forces' interoperability capability.
THE FILM 'NATO IN THE SKIES'
The archive of the General Directorate of Cinema also includes a film titled 'NATO in the Skies' prepared by the NATO Information Service. The production describes coordination between military and civil aviation, management of airspace with common rules, flight safety, radar systems, and NATO's air defense concept from the perspective of the era.
FOOTAGE OF KORUTÜRK RELEASED
One of the notable records in the archive was footage related to the ceremony held in 1959 for the 10th anniversary of NATO's founding. While images of Vice Admiral Fahri Korutürk attending the ceremony were published for the first time, the records also shed light on the activities within NATO of Korutürk, who would later serve as Commander of the Naval Forces and President of the Republic.
OPENED TO RESEARCHERS AND THE PUBLIC
It was stated that the historical film archive opened by the General Directorate of Cinema brings together significant visual documents concerning Turkey's early years of NATO membership, its diplomatic and military activities during the Cold War, its international representation, and its role within the alliance, for researchers and the public.