Tweet
MehrNews.com, Iran
Jan 2 2005
Ups and downs in Ankara-Tel Aviv ties
TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (MNA) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry recently
announced that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul would be visiting Israel
in early January.
During his two-day stay, Gul will also visit the new Palestine
Authority officials who took charge after the death of Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat.
The talks will focus on Turkey-Israel ties, Turkey-Palestine ties,
the Middle East peace process, and other regional and international
developments.
Ankara and Tel Aviv had previously signed significant political,
economic, and security agreements. However, the countries' ties were
restrained somewhat after the Justice and Development (AK) Party
gained power in Turkey and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
announced in a press conference that all countries were required to
respect international law but Israel was the only regime that had not
done so.
Prior to these remarks, Turkey had also expressed its displeasure
over the massacre of Palestinians by Israeli troops.
In addition, Turkey suffered certain setbacks in its military ties
with Israel, and animosity toward the Zionist regime increased among
the Turkish populace following the crash of a plane which Israeli
technicians had recently repaired.
Also, the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin further
complicated Turkey's internal situation.
Erdogan criticized Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for rejecting
Turkey's offer to mediate between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
`Turkey wants to see peace established in the Middle East, but
unfortunately Sharon does not help us in this process and his troops'
recent attacks against the Rafah refugees are proof of this fact,' he
said.
The Zionist regime then attempted to improve its ties with Turkey by
dispatching delegations to the country. Israeli Deputy Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert visited Turkey to start a new round of economic talks,
but Erdogan's refusal to meet him cooled ties between the two
countries.
Olmert tried to patch up ties, saying that he did not think Erdogan
regarded Israel as a terrorist government because he knew it was the
country making the most serious efforts to combat terrorism.
Then a delegation of officials from the Turkish Justice Ministry and
the AK Party traveled to Tel Aviv to hold talks with high-ranking
Israeli officials.
During the visit, AK Party leader Saban Disli and his deputies
visited Israel's National Security Council in order to discuss
military and security cooperation.
The efforts of the Zionist lobby in the United States to promote a
strengthening of ties between Turkey and Israel should also be
mentioned.
Over the past several years, the Zionist regime has attempted to
expand its relations with Turkey due to its strategic position
straddling Europe and the greater Middle East and its rich resources,
most notably its plentiful supplies of water, which is a key issue in
the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Turkey intends to maintain its military superiority over
its two rivals, Greece and Cyprus, by expanding its military
cooperation with Israel.
It also hopes to take advantage of the influence of the Zionist lobby
in the U.S. in its accession talks with the European Union as well as
in the issue of Turkey's dispute with the Armenians.
In addition, the Turkey-Israel-Azerbaijan partnership for cooperation
has received the support of the United States. An Israeli daily
recently revealed that U.S. President George W. Bush told Erdogan to
abandon his détente policy and normalize Turkey's ties with Israel
during the recent NATO meeting.
The paper added that Washington fears that tension among its allies
in the region could be detrimental to U.S. interests in the Middle
East.
This is because U.S. officials believe that the
Turkey-Israel-Azerbaijan partnership could neutralize the efforts of
what they call the Iran-Armenia-Greece partnership.
Jan 2 2005
Ups and downs in Ankara-Tel Aviv ties
TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (MNA) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry recently
announced that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul would be visiting Israel
in early January.
During his two-day stay, Gul will also visit the new Palestine
Authority officials who took charge after the death of Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat.
The talks will focus on Turkey-Israel ties, Turkey-Palestine ties,
the Middle East peace process, and other regional and international
developments.
Ankara and Tel Aviv had previously signed significant political,
economic, and security agreements. However, the countries' ties were
restrained somewhat after the Justice and Development (AK) Party
gained power in Turkey and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
announced in a press conference that all countries were required to
respect international law but Israel was the only regime that had not
done so.
Prior to these remarks, Turkey had also expressed its displeasure
over the massacre of Palestinians by Israeli troops.
In addition, Turkey suffered certain setbacks in its military ties
with Israel, and animosity toward the Zionist regime increased among
the Turkish populace following the crash of a plane which Israeli
technicians had recently repaired.
Also, the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin further
complicated Turkey's internal situation.
Erdogan criticized Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for rejecting
Turkey's offer to mediate between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
`Turkey wants to see peace established in the Middle East, but
unfortunately Sharon does not help us in this process and his troops'
recent attacks against the Rafah refugees are proof of this fact,' he
said.
The Zionist regime then attempted to improve its ties with Turkey by
dispatching delegations to the country. Israeli Deputy Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert visited Turkey to start a new round of economic talks,
but Erdogan's refusal to meet him cooled ties between the two
countries.
Olmert tried to patch up ties, saying that he did not think Erdogan
regarded Israel as a terrorist government because he knew it was the
country making the most serious efforts to combat terrorism.
Then a delegation of officials from the Turkish Justice Ministry and
the AK Party traveled to Tel Aviv to hold talks with high-ranking
Israeli officials.
During the visit, AK Party leader Saban Disli and his deputies
visited Israel's National Security Council in order to discuss
military and security cooperation.
The efforts of the Zionist lobby in the United States to promote a
strengthening of ties between Turkey and Israel should also be
mentioned.
Over the past several years, the Zionist regime has attempted to
expand its relations with Turkey due to its strategic position
straddling Europe and the greater Middle East and its rich resources,
most notably its plentiful supplies of water, which is a key issue in
the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Turkey intends to maintain its military superiority over
its two rivals, Greece and Cyprus, by expanding its military
cooperation with Israel.
It also hopes to take advantage of the influence of the Zionist lobby
in the U.S. in its accession talks with the European Union as well as
in the issue of Turkey's dispute with the Armenians.
In addition, the Turkey-Israel-Azerbaijan partnership for cooperation
has received the support of the United States. An Israeli daily
recently revealed that U.S. President George W. Bush told Erdogan to
abandon his détente policy and normalize Turkey's ties with Israel
during the recent NATO meeting.
The paper added that Washington fears that tension among its allies
in the region could be detrimental to U.S. interests in the Middle
East.
This is because U.S. officials believe that the
Turkey-Israel-Azerbaijan partnership could neutralize the efforts of
what they call the Iran-Armenia-Greece partnership.