Europe or Asia?

With growing opposition to the EU in Turkey, a growing minority have proposed an alternative which they claim would be more accommodating.

"Turk Bir Dev" is a proposed union between the Turkic nations: "Turkey, Northern Cyprus (unrecognised as a sovereign nation except by Turkey), Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The movement is small, but it adds fuel to speculation by the west that Turkey is "shifting towards the east." 

The Turks voted against a series of sanctions against Iran proposed by the UN Security Council; Ankara views the country as a vital trading partner, much to the disdain of others.

However, during a recent visit to the UK, Turkish president Abdullah Gul was keen to quell allegations that the state was turning away from Europe.

Gul was in London to receive Chatham House's annual prize for his contribution towards international relations and Turkey's development as a vibrant, democratic state and despite accusations of Islamism in his homeland and being a threat to Turkey's secular ideaology, he insisted the Turks remain committed to Europe.

In an interview with the BBC he said: "We remain commited to our path in the European Union.

"We have differences on detailed issues but our strategic direction is clear."

On the subject of the "privileged partnership" he said: "Promises were made and the EU must keep them."

But Gul admitted that many Turks perceived the balance of economic power shifting towards the east; a possible reason why Turks were not so enamoured these days with the prospect of EU membership.