Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey would most probably become a member of the European Union within a reasonable period of time and that it will become an energy distribution center for the energy resources in the Middle East and the Caspian Sea region.
Speaking at the influential Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Erdogan outlined Turkey's foreign policy in the 21st century. He said that with its stability, successful economic model, its standing in the West and its historical treasures, Turkey would become a cultural symbol. He said Turkey would achieve this status not only because of its economic or military strength but also because of the contribution it makes to universal humanist values.
Turkey would become a stabilizing influence in the Middle East, said Erdogan, adding that they were committed to providing the latest political, economic and social developments and the highest standards to the Turkish people.
The region where Turkey is situated has great potential, said Erdogan, but this potential is not being utilized because of the continuous instability and tension.
Erdogan said Turkey was following a proactive foreign policy and launching regional cooperation initiatives in order to contribute to the stability of the region and the world.
"Strong links have been established with countries in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Black Sea region. These links will be improved in the future," said the prime minister.
The peaceful and inclusive foreign policy pursued by Turkey was attracting all neighboring countries, said Erdogan.
Turkey's main objective was to establish a permanent footing in the Western world, said Erdogan, noting that globalization had resulted in the widening of the gap between the haves and the have-nots and that those countries with democratic and free societies would be the ones who benefit.
Regimes that try to block the outside world would both fail to provide the high standards demanded by the people and would find it hard to maintain peace and stability in their countries, said Erdogan.
Turkey's membership in the European Union was more than just a simple integration process, said Erdogan. He said Turkey, with its Muslim majority, had participated in all events hosted by European organizations and institutions, adding that Turkey's membership in the EU would show that a Muslim people could join in sharing the European peoples' democracratic values.
Erdogan said he was voicing his belief that the Muslim world should stop blaming others for its own problems at every opportunity, adding that they were stressing the importance of rule of law, human rights, gender equality, good governance, accountability and transparency. The universal values shared by all of humanity should be respected, said Erdogan.
He praised President George W. Bush's State of the Union address and said that mutual understanding among cultures and countries were the key to peace and freedom in the 21st century.
Turkey's security was their primary concern, said Erdogan, but he noted that they were aware that if Turkey's neighbors were insecure, Turkey's security would also be affected. He said he believed common threats should be tackled cooperatively.
Erdogan said the United States was a global power and should use this opportunity to ensure global peace, adding that Turkey was ready to support the United States in its efforts. Both Turkey and the U.S. had proven their commitment to end international and regional conflicts in the past, said the Turkish prime minister, noting that both countries today were in cooperation in trying to stabilize Iraq.
Erdogan said Turkey was working on supporting democracy and stability in Central Asia. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline was part of this process to contribute to regional peace and prosperity, Erdogan said.
He said civilizations should make an extra effort to learn more about each other. Erdogan said Islam should be viewed objectively and that Western people should know that those who used violence in the name of Islam were not the true representatives of the religion.
The United States, with its wealth of information resources, high-quality universities and well-developed social sciences, had the resources to right this misperception, said Erdogan.
Turkey remains opposed to greater autonomy being granted to Kurds in northern Iraq or to any "ethnically oriented" federation in postwar Iraq, Erdogan said.
The United States is trying to set up a federation system to govern postwar Iraq, but Iraqi Kurds in northern Iraq -- one of the most stable regions of the country -- are seeking greater autonomy within a unified state.
On the issue of Kurdish groups in northern Iraq, Erdogan said, "Any ethnically oriented or sectarian federation ... is not welcome by us. It is not favorable to Turkey."
He spoke two days before he was to meet with President George W. Bush in Washington, where he said he would raise Turkish concerns about Iraq.
Erdogan also repeated a proposal for a new envoy to take over negotiations to reunify the war-divided island of Cyprus.
Top Turkish leaders last Friday called for new negotiations for Cyprus based on a plan proposed by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, while Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou on Monday urged Turkey to pressure Turkish Cypriot politicians to compromise.
Erdogan earlier said negotiations for the island's reunification should resume, but not under the chairmanship of U.N. envoy Alvaro de Soto, saying he had "committed errors."
Erdogan called for the participation of "an independent, impartial country, a country that has political weight" in the Cyprus negotiations. He did not elaborate.
Both Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis have called for clarification of Erdogan's proposals on Cyprus. Papadopoulos said on Monday he had asked Annan for a briefing on his talks with Erdogan to clear up any confusion over future negotiations for a settlement.
Greek Cyprus is scheduled to join the EU by May 1, but if the island is still divided, the benefits of EU membership will be limited to the Greek Cypriot south.
In Ankara on Monday, Turkish Republic Northern Cyprus (KKTC) President Rauf Denktas said it would be difficult for Turkish and Greek Cypriots to reunify the island by the May deadline.
Turkey is also seeking membership in the EU, and the United States has been pressing Ankara to put greater pressure on the Turkish Cypriots to resolve the division.