5 November 2009 / ZAMAN MUSTAFA ÜNAL,
Actually, this is not a new argument, but in fact an ancient one, left over from Ottoman times. It is true that, under Justice and Development Party (AK Party) rule, Turkey has begun to show more interest in the East.
But while it is true that there is a renewed interest in what the East has to promise Turkey, it is also true that Turkey is not neglecting the West. In fact, interest in the West has been transformed from words into solid actions over the past years, and Turkey is now in the position of being a nation engaged in accession talks with the European Union. At the same time, we have also reaped the fruits of our attention to the East. Until just yesterday, we were enemies with Syria; we had even arrived at the brink of war. But now, the borders between our countries have no more meaning. All of this has happened in the short interval of only seven to eight years. And the situation in Iraq is not much different than our relations with Syria. Over the weekend, we opened new consulates in both Basra and Arbil. What could be more natural than for Turkey to now turn towards all of this former Ottoman territory?
