EPP chairman says Turkey hasn't changed axis

European People's Party (EPP) leader Wilfried Martens said yesterday that he doesn't see the recent reinvigoration of Turkish foreign policy as a slow drift away from the West, dismissing allegations that Turkey's growing involvement with its neighbors foreshadows its abandoning its Western allies. Quoting remarks by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu saying that Turkey is implementing a European Union-style cooperation with its neighbors, which should not be seen as an alternative to the EU, Martens said the 27-nation bloc should not and cannot restrict Turkey's relations with its neighbors. Saying that politicians in the West know that Turkey is a place where civilizations meet and various peoples come together, Martens said Turkey is a member of the Council of Europe and NATO and could one day be part of the EU as well.