Davutoglu rejects neo-Ottoman labeling

Speaking at a Justice and Development Party (AKP) meeting in Bursa, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu responded to the labeling of Turkey's foreign policy as neo-Ottoman by asking why those who united European countries are not called neo-Romans. "A hundred and ten years ago, Yemen and Skopje or Erzurum and Benghazi were parts of the same country. When we mention this, they call us neo-Ottomans. Why are those who united the whole of Europe not called neo-Romans, but those who united the Middle East are labeled neo-Ottomans?" Davutoglu asked, adding that Turkey has never had its eye on somebody else's lands. Stating that Turkey aims to bond together Sarajevo to Damascus, Benghazi to Erzurum and Batumi without declaring any country an "enemy" or interfering with other countries' borders, Davutoglu underlined that Turkey was determined to respect its borders with neighboring countries and that the borders separating Turkey from its neighbors were artificial. Davutoglu added that the basis of Turkey's Balkans policy was to bring stability and wealth to the region and that Turkey also attached importance to countries with which it had historical ties.