Turkey to build new Ottoman empire, warns Cyprus foreign minister

United Nations – The Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides has warned, ‘The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to build a new Ottoman Empire from the Middle East to Eastern Mediterranean. He has initiated efforts in that direction. It could jeopardise the security of the entire region. Turkish foreign policy has been militarised.’ Last year, a leader from the ruling party itself in Turkey had revealed President Erdogan’s plan for a ‘Greater Turkey’ on social media.

From the 14th century to the early 20th century, the Ottoman Empire stretched from Southeast Europe, North Africa to West Asia. The empire extended to present-day Israel, Egypt, and both borders of Saudi Arabia. The Ottoman Empire, which fought the first world war on the German side, fell apart after its defeat in World War I. Mustafa Kemal Pasha Ataturk then created what is now modern Turkey.

Turkey, which connects Europe and the Middle Eastern countries, had adopted a modern ideology after World War II. As per the claims, after taking over power in Turkey, President Erdogan dreams of expanding Turkey like the Ottoman Empire in the last decade. Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos highlighted these ambitions of the Turkish president while speaking to an international news agency.

‘Turkey’s earlier policy was not to get involved in any dispute with the neighbouring countries. However, under Erdogan’s rule, Turkey has sparked off border disputes with all its neighbours. Turkey wants to dominate this region and is pursuing a new Ottoman policy’ Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos criticised. Cyprus is not the only one threatened by Turkey, which has adopted an imperialist policy. There is a threat to the security of Israel, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Libya and other Arab nations too, Cyprus’s Foreign Minister Nikos has warned.

To drive home the point, Foreign Minister Nikos reminded me of the recent announcement made by the President of Turkey. Turkey is setting up a drone base in the Northern Cyprus region, captured from Cyprus. President Erdogan intends to use the drone base to keep an eye on Israel, Egypt and the Middle Eastern states, Nikos said. In the face of the Turkish threat, Foreign Minister Nikos informed Cyprus would increase defence support with its neighbouring countries Israel and Egypt.

Turkey has not commented on the allegations made by the Cypriot Foreign Minister. Earlier too, Turkey had denied allegations of expansionism on President Erdogan’s policies. However, in recent months, President Erdogan has made his intentions clear by supporting the Turkish military’s intrusion into the Kurdish-dominated regions of Iraq and Syria and supporting extremists in Libya.

Meanwhile, President Erdogan wants to expand the Ottoman Empire to the glory of the 11th century. Last year, Metin Kulunk from the ruling party said that Erdogan had drawn up a plan for Greater Turkey. In the 11th century, the Seleucid Empire extended from Baghdad in Iraq to Greece-Bulgaria. Against that background, the warning issued by the Cypriot Foreign Minister becomes significant.