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  SPIEGEL Interview with Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu: 'Turkey Doesn't Want Chaos in the Middle East'

SPIEGEL Interview with Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu 'Turkey Doesn't Want Chaos in the Middle East'

Part 2: 'We Have Consistently Rejected the Expression 'Axis of Evil'

Davutoglu: It is true that Turkish foreign policy is based on our intent not to polarize, but to reconcile the various interests in our region. It is always dangerous to play off groups or countries against one another. That's why we have consistently rejected the expression "axis of evil."

SPIEGEL: Nevertheless, not all countries are equally willing to cooperate.

Davutoglu: We see no radicals or moderates in our neighborhood. All we see are neighbors. Which is why Turkey cultivates relations equally with Israel and Palestine, Egypt and Iran, Fatah and Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah and the coalition that invokes murdered former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Do you know who sent me congratulatory messages last year when Turkey beat Croatia in the European football championship? An Israeli, a Palestinian and a Lebanese! We simply do not believe in polarization or isolation. We believe that problems can be solved in a dialogue. Turkey doesn't want chaos in the Middle East. It wants order.

SPIEGEL: Does that mean that your country is seeking to become a peacekeeping power in the region once again? Is this what your fellow Turks refer to as neo-Ottomanism?

Davutoglu: If the term relates to stability and order, I have no problem with it. But if you are talking about Turkey assuming an imperial, dominant position, the answer is no. We do not want to dominate the region. All we want to do is contribute to making it safer and more stable.

SPIEGEL: The Europeans value Turkey's new role as an intermediary in the region. Nevertheless, the reception of Hamas sparked a hailstorm of criticism -- from all sides.

Davutoglu: There is something here that we should not forget. The decision to allow Hamas to participate in the elections in December 2006 wasn't made in Ankara. However, observers concluded that those elections were free and fair, perhaps even the fairest elections in the Arab world. I'm afraid that the West lost some credibility when it marginalized the election winners in the Gaza Strip. Our position, by contrast, is to involve Hamas in a dialogue. Today, three years later, many admit that we were right. In fact, perhaps the Lebanon and Gaza wars could have been prevented if Hamas had not been backed into a corner.

SPIEGEL: With all this attention being paid to the Arab world and Central Asia, have you already turned your backs on Europe?

Davutoglu: No. Turkey's accession to the European Union is and remains our most important strategic goal. This isn't just a matter of our foreign policy, but it also has to do with our history. We have oriented ourselves toward Europe since the middle of the 19th century, since Ottoman reform policies. However, we are not just a European country, but an Asian, Mediterranean, Caucasus, Black Sea and Middle Eastern country. We are multidimensional. But this isn't a problem for Europe. On the contrary: It helps the EU when we, as a democratic, secular country, bring order to the region.

SPIEGEL: Nevertheless, two of the biggest member states, Germany and France, want to offer Turkey nothing more than a privileged partnership.

Davutoglu: I spoke with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and I am very confident -- also about the German position. Let's not forget that all member states of the EU officially approved the accession negotiations with Turkey.

SPIEGEL: But that doesn't move things forward. The European Commission is giving Ankara poor marks; there has been little progress on reforms. And the new European Parliament is full of opponents of Turkey.

Davutoglu: We are familiar with the difficulties. Believe me, we appreciate it when the Commission tells us what we still need to work on. We want to do our homework. And as far as the outcome of the European elections is concerned, that's the democratic will of Europeans, which I respect. But I do not believe that it will affect the Turkish accession negotiations.

SPIEGEL: You aren't disappointed that fear of Turks is spreading in Europe once again?

Davutoglu: I don't see it that way. However, I do admit that we have to pay more attention to public opinion in Europe.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Minister, thank you for this interview.

Interview conducted by Dieter Bednarz, Daniel Steinvorth and Martin Doerry.

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