He said the UK was "still an independent country" and "we can have an independent foreign policy".

BBC: Syria: UK's Cameron 'may veto EU arms embargo'

Iraqi leaders bristle at Kurdish efforts to forge an independent foreign policy, and the two sides disagree over control of disputed areas along their shared internal border.

NPR: 10 Years After US Invasion, Kurds Look To The West

And while Turkey prided itself on an ever more independent foreign policy based on its deep understanding of its region, it found itself unprepared for the upheavals of the Arab Spring.

BBC: Viewpoint: What now for Turkey's ruling party?