Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 02/2010

Mr. Erdogan Visits Washington: The AKP's Foreign Policy and United States Interests

Soner Cagaptay

December 2009

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

On December 7, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Washington to meet with President Barack Obama. The meeting follows Obama's April visit to Turkey, during which the U.S. leader reached out to Ankara in an effort to realign the countries' interests after the tumultuous years of the Bush administration. Despite Obama's efforts, Turkish foreign policy seems to be drifting farther away from the United States, especially on issues such as Iran and Sudan.