Tweet
NOT TORN BETWEEN EAST AND WEST: PRESIDENT GUL ON TURKEY'S FOREIGN POLICY
Tert
Nov 10 2009
Armenia
President Abdullah Gul made it clear on Monday that Turkey's foreign
policy in the West and in the East are complementary to each other,
not contradictory, reports Turkish news agency Today's Zaman.
Gul's remarks came in a speech delivered at an economic summit during
the 25th session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial
Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) in Istanbul.
The speech to a large extent focused on the main aspects of Turkish
foreign policy. Gul apparently used his speech at the summit as an
opportunity to respond to arguments suggesting the presence of a shift
in Turkey's foreign policy. 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.
"As a concrete indication showing the evaluation of global developments
and geographical needs together, Turkey is in intense commercial
and economical relations with both the Western world and Islamic
countries. The European Union membership process pursued by our
country and its efforts within COMCEC are complementary elements of
our foreign policy, but are not elements which exclude each other,"
Gul told the gathering in his opening speech.
Tert
Nov 10 2009
Armenia
President Abdullah Gul made it clear on Monday that Turkey's foreign
policy in the West and in the East are complementary to each other,
not contradictory, reports Turkish news agency Today's Zaman.
Gul's remarks came in a speech delivered at an economic summit during
the 25th session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial
Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) in Istanbul.
The speech to a large extent focused on the main aspects of Turkish
foreign policy. Gul apparently used his speech at the summit as an
opportunity to respond to arguments suggesting the presence of a shift
in Turkey's foreign policy. 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.
"As a concrete indication showing the evaluation of global developments
and geographical needs together, Turkey is in intense commercial
and economical relations with both the Western world and Islamic
countries. The European Union membership process pursued by our
country and its efforts within COMCEC are complementary elements of
our foreign policy, but are not elements which exclude each other,"
Gul told the gathering in his opening speech.