Turkish FM: Mideast holds special place in global remodeling

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said there were rich underground resources in the Middle East.

"The Cold War era was called a stable period since Turkey was a NATO member, but our geography is no longer a Cold War geography," Davutoğlu said during a conference at the Cairo American University in Egypt.

Davutoğlu said nobody would be safe if there was no security and freedom and that if one of them was lacking, problems would occur.

"We may unite with peaceful means, and we have to pursue a proactive diplomacy in the Balkans, Caucasus and Middle East and intervene before crises occur," Davutoğlu said.

Davutoğlu said Turkish-Russian relations were not an alternative to the European Union, and Turkey's strategic relations with the United States were not an alternative to Russia.

"Similarly, our relationship with the West is not an alternative to our relationship with the East," he said.

Davutoğlu said Turkey should be more active in the international arena, and Turkey's goal was to minimize risks and raise interests to the highest level.

"If we assume a common regional stance, we cannot talk about threats, and we should develop new visions and alternatives against new threats," he said.

Davutoğlu expressed his belief that a new dialogue mechanism could be established between Israel and Syria.

Davutoğlu later departed from Egypt, where he paid a two-day visit.

Davutoğlu arrived in Egypt on Monday and met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his Egyptian counterpart, Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He also addressed a meeting of the foreign ministers of the member countries in the Arab League in Cairo.


/Hurriyet Daily News/