Turkey's Reorientation

The visit of Iraqi foreign minister Muhammad Said al Sahhaf to Turkey last month demonstrated the growing concern in Ankara at the course of regional events. Since World War II Turkey has been a staunch supporter of Western policy in the Middle East but the country's leadership has recently become very concerned at the costs and implications of Western policy towards Iraq. These concerns come against a background of rethinking in Turkish foreign policy circles and the possibility of reorientation away from Europe and towards the east.