The dilemma "West or Islam? is haunting modern Turkey. The question has been risen significantly after the electoral triumph of Rejep Tayyip Erdogan and AK party in 2002.
In his first years of governance Mr.Erdogan, a devoted Muslim and rival of Turkey's secular "deep state , tried to balance his foreign policy between the two sides of Bosphorus: The long-standing alliance with the West and the traditional religious ties with the Islamic world.
However, in politics and diplomacy, you can never satisfy everybody. In his recent visit to Iran, Mr. Erdogan expressed his belief that President Ahmadinejad is "a friend of Turkey while he accused, once more, the Israeli Foreign Ministry for its policy towards Gaza.
A few months ago, during the Global Economic Forum in Davos, the Turkish Premier had publicly attacked the Israeli President Shimon Peres for Tel-Aviv's stance against Palestinians. At the same time, Ankara tries to upgrade its relations with neighbouring Syria through the establishment of the ˜Turkey-Syria High Level Strategic Co-operation Council' within which Ministers from both countries announced significant agreements.
Apparently, the above consist a dissapointment for Israel which sees a traditional ally to embrace its worst enemies. But, in fact, that shouldn't be a surprise. The Turkish Foreign Minister Mehmet Davutoglu has been, for years, an advocate of a strategy which sees Ankara as a strong partner of region's Muslim states.
Furthermore, as long as Rejep Tayyip Erdogan and AK party gain important victories in the internal political battle with secularists, Turkey will be probably moving - in political and diplomatic terms - more and more towards the Islamic world.
Greece must not remain untouched by these developments in the broader region. While being a constant supporter of Turkey's EU perspective, Athens has to reinstate its own strategic partnerships in eastern Mediterranean. Such partnerships should include Israel; a country with which Greece has significant historical and cultural ties.
From his side George Papandreou, a respected figure in international diplomacy, can use his good offices in a new round of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians - It should be noted that Mr. Papandreou himself had expressed his intention, in the past, to mediate in such a case.
It is a fact that Greece has the opportunity to use both its traditionally good relations with the Arab world (the Palestinians in particular) and its ties with Tel-Aviv. Because, unlike Erdogan's Turkey, Athens has no obligation to take sides but to emerge as the consistent adherent of International Law, Peace and Security in the region.
If Turkey "left the western alliance and became a full member of the Iranian axis (Caroline Click, Jerusalem Post), it is something that will be proved or disconfirmed soon enough. Maybe its just an exaggeration, but one thing is sure: the dilemma "West or Islam is in its most crucial phase for Turkey. For Mr. Erdogan and its government its the moment of truth.
