TURKEY INCREASES ITS INFLUENCE IN THE REGION, FINANCIAL TIMES WRITES

Focus news
Nov 24 2009
Bulgaria

British newspaper Financial Times has published Tuesday detailed
analysis, entitled "Turkey: Ottoman mission,", Turkish Zaman newspaper
writes. The analysis has taken up the present foreign policy of the
country. Turkey’s history has been mentioned and it this relation the
following comment has been made: "Turkey, who has been turned towards
West for a long time, now, the ruling Justice & Development (AK)
party is re-engaging with territories once ruled by the sultans,
from the Balkans to Baghdad, in a drive to return Turkey to a
place among the leadership of the Muslim world and the top ranks of
international diplomacy." It was noted the architect of the policy was
the Turkey foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, despite he has rejected
the expansionist tag of "neo-Ottoman" preferring his well-used slogan,
"zero problems with neighbours".

It was noted in the analysis that with the growing of its economic
power and with its diplomacy the country has increased its influence
on hard and problematic issues like Caucasus, Iran and Iraq noting
the recent development of the relations between Turkey and Cyrus,
Iraq and Armenia.

The analysis also reads Davutoglu will pay a visit to European capitals
to assure them that "Turley has not changed its aim to access the
EU" and to present its good relations in the region as a "value"
for the West.