Commenting on latest changes in the discourse of Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Chairman of the Turkish Future Party Ahmet Davutoğlu said
Erdoğan was a mere despot under outgoing US President Donald Trump.
He tries, however, to masquerade as a reformist as Joe Biden prepares
to hold reins of power in the US, Davutoğlu said.
Davutoğlu's remarks come in the wake of a series of statements by
Erdoğan's government, ones that attest to attempts by the Turkish president to
adopt positions that contradict his traditional positions in the past four
years.
Changing
positions
Turkey welcomed a recent reconciliation deal between Qatar, on one
hand, and moderate Arab states Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates
and Bahrain, on the other. It also made statements aiming at wooing Europe.
Ankara attaches great importance to its relations with Europe.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt
Çavuşoğlu said on January 12 that his country is aware that its future
lies in Europe, echoing remarks by Erdoğan in this regard.
Çavuşoğlu said his country would introduce reforms to its policies.
He called on the European Union to back Ankara's new policy change.
Erdoğan, for his part, cajoled Europe on Tuesday, saying that his
country wanted to bring relations with the continent back to its past
strengths.
Erdoğan hoped the Eastern Mediterranean would turn into a cooperation
arena.
European
response
Erdoğan's entreaties have not apparently reached the ears of European
leaders or decision-makers.
The Turkey rapporteur of the European Parliament, Nacho Sanchez Amor,
said Europe does not need any romantic messages from Turkey, but tangible
results.
He called on Turkey to abide by the policies of the European Union and
adhere to the decisions of the European Court for Human Rights.
