A controversial map published in a major Turkish newspaper is threatening to ignite regional concerns about Turkish expansionism and neo-Ottomanism. The map – which was published in Milliyet and is similar to another report published in the Hurriyet daily – was accompanied a report describing a “New Turkey” that could be formed in the aftermath of Turkish-Kurdish peace talks.

The graphic shows parts of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Syria, Iraq, Greece, Georgia, and Azerbaijan as Turkish territory. Those and other territories were controlled by the Ottoman empire until it crumbled in the late 19th and early 20th centuries despite a string of atrocity-laden campaigns aimed at holding those areas.

American officials have long expressed concerns regarding neo-Ottoman tendencies within Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party. Leaked U.S. diplomatic cables described Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as “exceptionally dangerous” and “lost in neo-Ottoman Islamist fantasies.” Recent statements by Davutoglu seem in line with those evaluations:

Davutoglu is wondering why people use an accusatory rhetoric, as if his policy suggestions mean to suggest the refurbishment of Ottoman era.

Here is why in his own words: “Last century was only a parenthesis for us. We will close that parenthesis. We will do so without going to war, or calling anyone an enemy, without being disrespectful to any border, we will again tie Sarajevo to Damascus, Benghazi to Erzurum to Batumi. This is the core of our power,” he said. “These may look like all different countries to you, but Yemen and Skopje were part of the same country 110 years ago, or Erzurum and Benghazi. When we say this, they call it ‘new Ottomanism.’ The ones who united the whole Europe don’t become new Romans, but the ones who unite the Middle East geography are called as new Ottomanists. It’s an honor to be reminded with the names of Ottomans, Seljuks, Artuklu or Eyyubi, but we have never or will ever have our eye on anyone’s land based on a historic background.”

On March 4, Davutoglu continued with his remarks: “The people who lived together throughout the history in this region were torn apart from each other in the last century; they grew distant from each other. Turkey was the central country at the time when borders were diminished, geography was divided, and economic spheres were separated. As if these are not enough, a new seed of division started to be planted in our country.”…

It’s time for the Erdogan government to listen to the critics of its policies, and at the very least begin toning down these arrogant suggestions that Turkey be the core country for setting a new order for those once-Ottoman lands.

Bulgarian Interim Prime Minister Marin Raykov said Wednesday that he will not respond to the map or the report, describing the graphic as “so scandalous that it does not deserve a comment from a Prime Minister.”