Reaffirming Turkey's commitment to EU goal, Erdogan again rejects "axis shift" claims

Turkey has not given up its dream of joining the European Union, and it has not become "anti-West," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told an interview with Canada's Toronto Star daily over the weekend on the sidelines of a G-20 summit in Toronto. Dismissing claims of an axis shift in Turkish foreign policy, Erdogan criticized claims that Turkey had turned its back on the West. "That would be a very wrong conclusion. Turkey is developing contacts all over the world. But Turkey has not cut off relations with anyone," he said, referring to claims that Turkey will sever its ties with Israel due to its attack last month on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla which left nine Turkish peace activists dead. However, Erdogan stressed that relations with Israel would remain strained until Israel fulfills four conditions: an official apology for the attack, paying compensation to the families of the nine activists, agreeing to an international probe into the incident, and lifting its embargo on the Gaza Strip. Asked about Israeli statements that it was easing its blockade of Gaza, Erdogan called for concrete steps rather than mere words. Stating that Turkey is planning to sue Israel on behalf of the victims of the flotilla raid, Erdogan said the flotilla was organized by non-governmental organizations, was carrying volunteers from 33 nations, along with humanitarian aid for Gaza – food, medicine, toys, construction material, etc. It was attacked "in international waters, 72 miles out of the territorial waters of Israel. Unfortunately, guns and rifles and plastic bullets were used. I interpret this as state terror," Erdogan said. Rejecting claims that Turkey has adopted an anti-Israel stance in the Middle East, Erdogan said, "I want to be very clear. In the Middle East, Turkey is the only friendly country to Israel, so much so that during the Ehud Olmert government, Turkey helped Israel hold indirect talks with Syria." On Turkey's EU aspirations amid US and EU officials' mutual accusations that they are pushing Turkey towards the East and away from the West, Erdogan said Turkey still very much wants to join the EU. "We continue with determination to walk on the European path, despite EU efforts to prevent the opening of some of the chapters that are part of the negotiations process," he said.