Berlin: Turkey is playing an increasingly important role for regional stability as Western powers distance themselves from the emerging nation, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad was quoted as saying by a newspaper on Tuesday.
Asked if he felt Turkey was moving away from the West, Nato and the United States in favour of Muslim countries, Assad told Germany's mass-selling Bild daily that he felt the responsibility lay elsewhere.
"I'd say rather that the West is moving away from Turkey," he said.
Western powers have expressed concern that Turkey is growing closer to fellow Muslim neighbours such as Iran and Syria, although Ankara sees its role as a stabilising force in the region.
The country's ruling AK party has its roots in Islam but sees itself as akin to Europe's conservative Christian Democrats — liberal on economic policies but conservative on social issues.
It won re-election comfortably in 2007.
Turkey has since boosted its ties and trade with Arab countries, lifting visa restrictions for citizens of several nations including Syria.
Ankara aims to create a free trade zone without visa restrictions with Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
