Gul: "Claims of an axis shift in Turkish foreign policy stem ignorance and bad intentions"

Speaking to journalists en route to South Korea yesterday, President Abdullah Gul criticized renewed claims that Turkey has been shifting the axis of its foreign policy away from the West and towards the East, saying such claims stem either from ignorance or bad will. "Turkey has security forces all over the world, including in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Africa and Haiti," said Gul. "The timing of claims concerning Turkey's axis shift is poor. I keep saying this. Take Britain, France or Spain as an example. They have excellent relations with the entire world. Does anybody mention anything about an axis shift for those countries? Does anyone question whether Britain has seen a shift in axis? Does anyone talk about an axis shift for France?" Turkey's larger presence on the foreign policy stage in recent years has led some commentators to suggest that this signifies a shift in its foreign policy orientation, with Ankara turning its back on the West in favor of a closer and more institutionalized cooperation with the Islamic world. Ankara has consistently rejected such arguments, calling them reminiscent of a Cold War mentality. The axis shift debate has reemerged in the wake of last month's Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters, which left nine Turkish peace activists dead. "Turkey agrees with 98 percent of foreign policy decisions made by the European Union," Gul told reporters. "It is rather absurd to discuss the axis of Turkey by looking at its relations with neighboring countries or with countries in its region. We need to focus on common values such as respect for human rights, democracy and a free market." He also said people should compare Turkey's democracy now with the situation 25 years ago. "We need to ask ourselves whether our democracy has grown stronger or weaker," he explained. "We need to ask whether our legal system has grown stronger. And we need to ask whether we have moved closer or farther away from the EU." Gul traveled to South Korea to attend ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, which thousands of Turkish troops fought in. Stating that Turkey's military ties with South Korea stretched from the 1950-53 war up to 1971, Gul said, "We worked for world peace and to protect people and other countries." Gul also reiterated Turkey's commitment to end domestic terrorism no matter the cost.