Middle East proposal from the Palace: New name suggestion draws attention

Chief Advisor to the President and Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Legal Policies Board, Mehmet Uçum, has made a notable proposal regarding the region's traditionally used name, "Middle East."

In an article titled "Central Afro-Eurasia (Middle East) Law" published on the social media platform X, Uçum stated that the term "Middle East" reflects an orientalist approach and that a more objective definition is needed.

"The term Middle East historically represents a Western-centric perspective," said Uçum, noting that the name "Central Afro-Eurasia" could be used instead of this approach.

Uçum's article is as follows:

PROPOSED A NEW NAME INSTEAD OF MIDDLE EAST

The People's Revolution in Syria did not just end the Ba'ath and Assad dictatorship, that is, this bloody regime. This revolution also signals the beginning of a new process that will affect the entire Middle East.

The process triggered in the region by the Syrian revolution could also nurture a hope that will open the door to a fair new world order.

Let us state that the naming of Middle East (Ortadoğu) is orientalist. It ignores the diversity, historical and cultural richness of the region and reflects the West's perspective on this geography. For this reason, a name that is more objective and suitable for the context of the region is needed. The task of naming falls to experts and academics in the field.

As an innovation, one could start with the name "Central Afro-Eurasia" instead of Middle East. The name "Central Afro-Eurasia" offers a more neutral and objective naming in a geographical and historical context, far from orientalist approaches to the region. At the same time, it accurately expresses the region's strategic importance, cultural diversity, and historical roles.

THE CENTER OF THIS GEOGRAPHY CONSISTING OF 24 COUNTRIES IS TURKEY

Returning to the Western-centric definition, the Middle East, although there are different groupings, is generally accepted as the region consisting of the following countries:

Syria, Iraq, Qatar, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Republic of Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Sudan, Morocco.

Turkey is the Central and polar country that physically provides the integrity of this geography consisting of 24 countries with Europe, and leads it economically, politically, and legally.

'CONSTITUTION' PROPOSAL FOR THE REGION

It is seen that Turkey, as the central country, has the power and opportunity to play a leading role in creating a regional law. This power of Turkey comes both from its history and from the level it has reached in the region today and its capacity to be influential.

It could be extremely appropriate and beneficial to initiate an intellectual study on restructuring the region's law on constitutions, civil and political rights, social rights, and interstate relations, based on Turkey's accumulation and experience, while taking into account the uniqueness and local characteristics of the countries.

A study could be initiated that aims for a common regional law based on the unity and independence of each country, where a consensus is reached on its general framework, rather than the export of a sovereign law. In this study, preparation for a regional economic law could perhaps be considered as the first comprehensive project.

ISRAEL CONDITION

As for Israel, it can only take part in such a process on the condition that an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is established on the basis of United Nations resolutions. Otherwise, Israel will be liquidated as an occupying and genocidal state.

Cyprus, on the other hand, would be in the right position in this process with the acceptance of a two-state solution.

"CENTRAL AFRO-EURASIA LAW"

It is a visionary perspective for Turkey, which leads the Middle East geography, the center of the world, as the Central Country, to initiate an intellectual preparatory study for the construction of a regional public and economic law, that is, "Central Afro-Eurasia" law, which could inspire humanity.

This initiative also gives hope for the ideal of the region taking a position as a whole against global imperialism under Turkey's leadership.

It should be foreseen that such a process could generate great opportunities for the peace, economic and social welfare, freedom, and peaceful coexistence of the people of Turkey and the peoples of the region.

The view advocated here consists of a short introduction to a strong, comprehensive, and ambitious thesis, an intellectual hint. The first step of this initiative could be taken through symposiums and other academic studies to be held by universities according to the subject classification based on this intellectual hint.

NEW CONSTITUTION FOR SYRIA

A pilot study could be the new constitution-making process of Syria, which our President Erdoğan has drawn attention to. A comprehensive new constitution study that will secure the unity and future of Syria can develop as an activity that Turkey supports and contributes to intellectually.