Turkey not turning its back on West: President

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in a newspaper interview that Ankara saw itself as part of Europe and remained committed to the West regardless of its close links to countries in the Middle East.

"I consider it very wrong to interpret Turkey's interests with other geographic regions as it breaking from the West, turning its back on the West or seeking alternatives to the West. Turkey is part of Europe," Gul told the Times newspaper.

Concern has risen in Europe and the United States in recent months that Turkey, a NATO member and close Muslim ally, is drifting away from the West.

Ankara has made slow progress since opening accession talks with the European Union five years ago, held back by skepticism in key EU states and a failure to speed up democratic reforms and patch up ties with Cyprus.

At the same time, Turkey has cultivated ties with Iran and Syria, countries the United States and European nations accuse of supporting terrorism.

Turkey's relationship with Israel has sunk to the lowest level in decades following the deaths of nine Turks in a raid by Israeli commandos in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Turkey has called for Israel to apologize, pay compensation, agree to a U.N. inquiry into the incident and lift the blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.

But bilateral relations had already been strained by Israel's devastating war on Gaza last year, and the aid boat deaths plunged ties between the two countries to a new low.

Ankara recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv and cancelled three planned joint military exercises following the raid. It also twice denied permission to Israeli military aircraft to use its air space.

Gul insisted that Turkey has always been Israel's friend, but justified its response to the killings of its nationals by saying: "If an army of state kills your people in international waters, how would you react?"

He added that Turkey had undergone a "silent revolution" and was now a big economic power that had embraced democracy, human rights and the free market. It was a "source of inspiration" in the region, he said.

"If this is not acknowledged, it's a pity," Gul added.

I consider it very wrong to interpret Turkey's interests with other geographic regions as it breaking from the West, turning its back on the West or seeking alternatives to the West. Turkey is part of Europe

Turkish President Abdullah Gul