Turkey’s Foreign Policy Not Shifting Course, Says Erdogan

TURKEY’S FOREIGN POLICY NOT SHIFTING COURSE, SAYS ERDOGAN

Tert
Nov 4 2009
Armenia

Turkish prime minister has dismissed claims that Turkey’s foreign
policy was shifting course, reports Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi.

"Turkey’s foreign policy is not shifting direction, its axis or
course. But it is normalizing and taking concrete and decisive steps
forward to a level as it should. And it becomes ever more important
and effective," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday at a meeting of
his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.

Erdogan said Turkey was committed on its European Union membership
bid despite what he described as "unfair and discouraging attitudes."

"We are on track with our EU accession process and it is out of the
question that we quit making reforms. The fact that our direction leads
toward the West and our sincere efforts for EU membership do not mean
that we turn our backs on the east or the north. Turkey’s foreign
policy is built on peace, dialogue, cooperation and communication,"
Erdogan said.