Erdogan rejects claims of foreign policy shift

Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed claims that Turkish foreign policy has been experiencing a major shift in its orientation, turning its back on the West. Some international commentators have argued that Ankara may be slowly turning its back on its Western allies and seeking to regain its status as a regional power in the Middle East, especially in the wake of Erdogan's recent visit to Iran, and the signing of strategic cooperation agreements with Syria and Iraq. "The fact that our face is turned towards the West and that we're making sincere efforts for EU membership doesn’t mean that we should turn our back to the East, South and North," Erdogan said. Turkey is still anchored to the West and closer ties with Iran don't indicate a change of course in foreign policy, Erdogan said, brushing aside criticism of his recent trip to Tehran. "Turkey's foreign policy has not changed course, but its foreign policy is normalizing when it comes to neighboring countries," Erdogan said. "Why should we turn our backs on other avenues? Turkey is anchored to European institutions and is at the same time a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the world's largest Islamic organization." Reiterating that Turkey is opposed to all nuclear weapons, Erdogan renewed calls on Western powers to adopt a "just approach" toward Iran's nuclear program. An overall goal for getting rid of all nuclear weapons, including the ones owned by countries who advise Iran not to do so, should be embraced by the international community, he said. "The states that criticize Iran have nuclear weapons," he said. "We need to eliminate them all from the region and the world."