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BABACAN: ISRAEL WILL BE CRITICIZED IF NEEDED
Hurriyet
March 20 2009
Turkey
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ali Babacan says Turkey has strategic ties
with Israel but adds that does not mean that mistakes made would
be overlooked. He says communication is under way between Turkey
and Israel
The Turkish government's vocal criticism of the Israeli offensive in
Gaza during a panel discussion in Davos received a warm welcome from
many countries' leaders, the foreign minister has said.
"Some countries maybe are more silent. When Israel is the issue, there
are very different dynamics in some countries' domestic politics,
but many countries' leaders even came and whispered in our ear,
'We cannot say anything but fortunately you said it,'" Ali Babacan
said in a televised interview with Kanal 7 late Wednesday.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stalked off the stage of a panel
discussion at the World Economic Forum in January, after heatedly
sparring with Israeli President Shimon Peres, accusing Israel of
"knowing very well how to kill people."
Babacan said Turkey had strategic ties with Israel but made clear
that did not mean the mistakes made would be overlooked. In comments
on Turkish-Israeli ties, he said diplomatic traffic and communication
were never cut between the two countries, adding that problems could
be resolved only through dialogue.
On Middle East peace, Babacan said many problems in the region were
linked and needed an integrated approach. "The dialogue with Syria is
part of that, dialogue between Iran and Turkey is very important. If
you want a deep-rooted solution in the Middle East, you must do
something together with Iran," he noted.
No 'irrational' step
Babacan also touched on the Armenian issue and expressed the hope that
the United States would not take an irrational step to recognize the
1915 killings as genocide. This week, a group of pro-Armenian lawmakers
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives a resolution calling
for the recognition of the Armenian deaths as genocide.
Babacan said the Armenian lobby had an influence on the U.S. Congress,
which is dominated by Democrats, but emphasized that unlike in the
past, negotiations between Turkey and Armenia were under way to
normalize ties.
"The complete normalization of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey ties will
create a brand-new geopolitical situation in the southern Caucasus. A
decision or a statement to be made by a third country [on the 1915
killings] will cause harm," he said. "While we are looking into the
future from a broader perspective, we believe that any interference by
a third country is very wrong. We hope that an irrational step will
not be taken. We are openly speaking with our American friends. We
hope no wrong steps will be taken."
Meanwhile speaking in the central Anatolian province of EskiÅ~_ehir,
Babacan pointed to the global financial crisis and said what was
important was to keep the effects of the crisis to a minimum and save
the country with the least damage.
Hurriyet
March 20 2009
Turkey
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ali Babacan says Turkey has strategic ties
with Israel but adds that does not mean that mistakes made would
be overlooked. He says communication is under way between Turkey
and Israel
The Turkish government's vocal criticism of the Israeli offensive in
Gaza during a panel discussion in Davos received a warm welcome from
many countries' leaders, the foreign minister has said.
"Some countries maybe are more silent. When Israel is the issue, there
are very different dynamics in some countries' domestic politics,
but many countries' leaders even came and whispered in our ear,
'We cannot say anything but fortunately you said it,'" Ali Babacan
said in a televised interview with Kanal 7 late Wednesday.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stalked off the stage of a panel
discussion at the World Economic Forum in January, after heatedly
sparring with Israeli President Shimon Peres, accusing Israel of
"knowing very well how to kill people."
Babacan said Turkey had strategic ties with Israel but made clear
that did not mean the mistakes made would be overlooked. In comments
on Turkish-Israeli ties, he said diplomatic traffic and communication
were never cut between the two countries, adding that problems could
be resolved only through dialogue.
On Middle East peace, Babacan said many problems in the region were
linked and needed an integrated approach. "The dialogue with Syria is
part of that, dialogue between Iran and Turkey is very important. If
you want a deep-rooted solution in the Middle East, you must do
something together with Iran," he noted.
No 'irrational' step
Babacan also touched on the Armenian issue and expressed the hope that
the United States would not take an irrational step to recognize the
1915 killings as genocide. This week, a group of pro-Armenian lawmakers
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives a resolution calling
for the recognition of the Armenian deaths as genocide.
Babacan said the Armenian lobby had an influence on the U.S. Congress,
which is dominated by Democrats, but emphasized that unlike in the
past, negotiations between Turkey and Armenia were under way to
normalize ties.
"The complete normalization of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey ties will
create a brand-new geopolitical situation in the southern Caucasus. A
decision or a statement to be made by a third country [on the 1915
killings] will cause harm," he said. "While we are looking into the
future from a broader perspective, we believe that any interference by
a third country is very wrong. We hope that an irrational step will
not be taken. We are openly speaking with our American friends. We
hope no wrong steps will be taken."
Meanwhile speaking in the central Anatolian province of EskiÅ~_ehir,
Babacan pointed to the global financial crisis and said what was
important was to keep the effects of the crisis to a minimum and save
the country with the least damage.