PDF Dosyası - Ankara Üniversitesi Kitaplar Veritabanı

position brought Turkish diplomacy to distance itself on several questionsfrom the positions adopted by Turkey's western allies.With the end of the cold war Turkey benefıts of a greater autonomyof decision and was able to take several particularly fortunate initiatives.But at the same time, Turkey, in the heart of an area of chronic instabilityand turmoils, seems inclined to give priority to security matters, ratherthan to neighbourliness.In fact, Turkey being confronted both to a very awkward internationaland regional situation, continues to search a political line likely to expressthe assertion of its identity and its originality on the internationalscene in full accordance vvith its true national interests.At present, Turkey has a clear understanding of the fact that the middleEast market can not be considered as an alternative to the ties vvith theEuropean Union, but that the Middle East is at the same time an indispensableelement for its economic prosperity. In this respect the statementmade by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, ismail Cem seems to shovvthat Turkey is building up a vvay of its ovvn vvhen he told an Americanjournalist: "We no longer perceive ourselves as a country on the outer peripheryof Europe. Of course vve are part of Europe. But novv vve see ourselvesas a pivotal country in the emerging geography of Eurasia." 9Words in the pure tradition of Atatürk's vie w on Turkey's role in thevvorld.9. İnternational Herald Tribüne, August 3, 1998.612