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Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Israel had made a big mistake during Gaza offensive early this year. "More than that, Israel committed crime as it used phosphorus bombs," he said.
Davutoglu spoke on Turkey's active role in the Middle East at a conference on Turkey's foreign policy held in Washington D.C. on Tuesday.
Davutoglu said that the Middle East peace process had three pillars as relation between Israel and Syria, Israel and Palestine, Israel and Lebanon. He said, "what Turkey wants to do is to contribute to these pillars in a way that they could support each other."
Turkey has created a new balance among these three pillars, Davutoglu said, however, Israel had disturbed the balance with its offensive in Gaza late December of 2008 and early January in 2009.
"Yes we criticize Israel. We believe Israel had made a big mistake with the offensive. More than that, Israel had not only made a big mistake, but also committed crime as it used phosphorus bombs," Davutoglu said. "We will no more tolerate massacres in our region. We will not tolerate any terrorist attacks in Iraq as well, neither a Sunni one nor a Shiite."
Davutoglu also said that Turkey and United States were in cooperation to achieve peace in the Middle East and he praised U.S. President Barack Obama's approach to the issue.
Asked about nuclear problem in the region, Davutoglu said Turkey was against nuclear weapons in its region.
"But Israel, Iran or any other country, including Turkey, has the right to get nuclear technology because monopoly in technology is not acceptable," he said.
"We do not want a nuclear Iran, we do not want a nuclear Israel, either," he stated.
"EU shifting its axis"
Turkey's foreign minister also reacted to claims that Turkey shifted its axis from the West to the East, saying "Turkey's axis is in Ankara."
Ahmet Davutoglu said that such assertions should have objective, academic and scientific data that Turkey neglected the EU and NATO.
"Actually, the one shifting its axis is Europe itself. They are trying to change the rules of the game and shift the axis of Europe's rules and the axis of the concept of justice," Davutoglu said.
He criticized phrases such as "axis shift" and "Neo-Ottomanism", stating that foreign policies of states should keep up with changing international conditions.
"I cannot see a good intention regarding controversies over the axis shift and I do not think these controversies are based on facts," he said.
Davutoglu also criticized some analysts who claimed that "Turkey was following an Islamist policy and it was using the policy of 'zero problem with neighbors' to conceal its Islamist policy". He said only four of Turkey's neighbors were Muslim countries and accused these analysts of not knowing the "geography".
"You may have a ground if Turkey's relations with Iran and Syria has improved but worsened with Greece and Georgia," he said. "I am sorry but this is our future with our neighbors. We will go on with this policy."
PHOTO CAPTION
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrives at the two-day NATO foreign minister meeting in Brussels, Thursday Dec. 3, 2009
Agencies
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