Last update - 00:00 11/02/2008
Barak said hoping to clinch spy satellite sale during Turkey visit
By Amos Harel
Defense Minister Ehud Barak will promote the sale of a spy satellite to Turkey and other military deals during a visit to Ankara this week, security sources said on Monday.
Muslim but secular Turkey is Israel's most important regional ally, though relations were strained last year by an Israel Air Force strike in neighboring Syria.
Ankara has offered to mediate in peace talks between Israel and Damascus or the Palestinians.
Barak, who begins a two-day visit to the Turkish capital on Tuesday, will urge his hosts to buy state-run Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Ofek satellite for an estimated $300 million.
"This deal has been under discussion for years, but Barak's visit may help clinch it," a security source said, adding that past talks had been held up by counter-bidding from a French aerospace firm.
In Ankara, Turkish diplomatic sources described ties between the two countries as "very good" and confirmed Turkey's interest in intelligence-sharing projects including satellites.
The sources also said Turkey would raise the situation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with Barak. Israel imposed a blockade on the impoverished Palestinian territory following cross-border rocket and mortar attacks by Hamas and other militant factions.
Barak has ordered the development of an Israeli anti-rocket system that would be deployed outside Gaza. But Israel is also interested in American alternatives such as Lockheed Martin Corp's
"Germany is currently testing a version of Skyshield in Turkey," Lockheed Martin vice president Joshua Shani said.
Shlomo Dror, spokesman for the Defense Ministry, declined to comment specifically on any sales to Ankara but confirmed that Barak's visit "aims to bolster our long-standing strategic ties and bilateral deals".
Barak will hold talks with Turkey's Defesce Minister Vecdi
Gonul and the head of the powerful military General Staff, General Yasar Buyukanit. He is also due to meet President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey is currently taking delivery of around 10 Heron surveillance drones purchased from IAI for $200 million, the Israeli security source said, and has voiced a "preliminary interest" in Israel's Arrow II ballistic anti-missile system.
Israel is the only Middle Eastern country to have built and deployed its own satellites. The first in the Ofek ("Horizon") series was launched in 1988. Ofek-7, billed as Israel's eye on arch-foe Iran, went into orbit last year.
Barak's scheduled trip to Ankara was jeopardized by recent developments in Sderot and the continued Qassam rocket attacks.
Barak is considering shortening the trip from the original two days to a single day.
This will be the first visit Barak has made to Turkey since returning to the Defense Ministry last June.
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