BY KADRI GURSEL
MILLIYET- Analysts who argue that Turkey is shifting from the Western axis to the East are wrong. There's been no 'shift of axis.' First, 'changing the axis' is a limiting, mechanical expression. Turkey is a country which has been open to all sorts of exchanges and events in one of the most important crossroads of history and geography. As a result, a complex social structure and a rich culture emerged. To this historical richness let's add its economy, which has made great leap forwards in the last 30 years, its multilateral foreign relations, diversified middle class, and enhanced democracy.
Turkey's moves in its region can't be explained with the simplicity of a two-directional pendulum swing like shifting the axis. If there is a journey between the axes, it should be asked if Turkey or the axis is changing. Turkey's specific weight and dynamics could transform the axis that it gets involved in into something else. Turkey won't change its own axis, but the axis itself. Actually, the European conservatives who fear that if Turkey joins the European Union, the EU would no longer be theirs, aren't wrong. If there really is an 'Islamic Eastern axis,' these conservatives should actually be concerned about this most Western and modern Islamic country. So debate over whether Turkey is shifting its axis is unreasonable, or underestimates Turkey. These debates shouldn't be taken seriously. But there's still a problem in Turkey's foreign policy. If this problem isn't a shift of axis, what is it?
The diagnosis resulting from some political clumsiness, slips of the tongue, explosions of wrath and stumbling was caused by the 'virus of Islamism' which spread to Turkey's foreign policy. Until 2005, the people behind Turkey's foreign policy had been focused on Turkey's EU bid. This effectively immunized against the virus. But as the focus got weaker, the immunity was compromised and the symptoms of the virus flared up. No matter what happens and no matter how serious the diagnosis gets, Turkey's strong institutional relations with the West won't allow losing the patient. In short, Turkey wouldn't change its axis, but it will face many difficulties due to a scattered focus.