Turkish min.: Israeli terms for satellite sale could hamper deal - Haaretz

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		Defense Minister Ehud Barak. (Jini Archives)

Last update - 20:30 12/02/2008

Turkish min.: Israeli terms for satellite sale could hamper deal

By Reuters and Haaretz Service

Tags: Syria, Turkey, Israel

Turkey is interested in buying an Israeli spy satellite, but Israel's demand that any of its sensitive military facilities stay off-limits to surveillance could scupper the deal, officials said on Tuesday.

After hosting Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Ankara, Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul told reporters that the proposed purchase of an Ofek satellite was under discussion "at the technical level".

An Israeli official familiar with the negotiations said they have been going on for several years, with disagreements arising over cost and Israel's efforts to ensure a Turkish-owned Ofek would not monitor its nuclear facilities and some other sites.

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"The talks have had highs and lows, and personal intervention by Barak or someone similarly senior on the Israeli side might be enough to clinch the deal," the official said, saying the asking price for the Ofek was about $300 million.

Gonul said Turkey's defense industry undersecretary and Israel's Defence Ministry director-general, who accompanied Barak to Ankara, were handling the satellite discussions and other bilateral military projects.

He also said that Israel would provide Turkey with a Hermes unmanned aerial vehicle, Army Radio reported following the talks.

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's nuclear program, went into orbit last year.

Barak: Ankara can wield positive influence on Damascus

Barak started his visit to Turkey on Tuesday and held out hope that Ankara, keen to renew the long-stalled Israeli-Syrian peace
track, would have a "positive" influence on Damascus.

Muslim but secular Turkey is the Israel's most important regional ally. But ties were tested last year by an Israeli air strike on what was reportedly a nascent nuclear site in neighboring Syria.

Ankara has offered to help reconcile Israel with Syria and wants to defuse a diplomatic deadlock with the Palestinians amid spiralling cross-border violence in the Gaza Strip.

"Because of the depth of their relationship with the Syrians, they (Turkey) have a definite potential to wield positive influence," Barak told reporters en route to Ankara, though he declined to comment on any specific peace overtures.

Barak played down the role of Turkey on the Israeli-Palestinian track. "I'm not sure they have a role to play," he said.

A former premier whose tenure ended in 2001 after botched peace negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians, Barak sees the Syrian track as more promising than the Palestinian track, according to an Israeli political source.

The source said that puts Barak on "different wavelengths" than Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Olmert has voiced interest in talking to Damascus since 2006 Second Lebanon War but has balked at Syrian preconditions such as a commitment to return the Golan Heights.

Facilitator, not mediator

A senior Turkish diplomat said Ankara "has been playing the role of facilitator, not mediator, between Syria and Israel."

Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan "might deliver a message from Damascus" to Barak, the diplomat added.

Barak confidants said he would also use his two-day visit to Turkey to promote the proposed sale of an Israeli spy satellite and other defense deals.

Turkish diplomatic sources confirmed earlier Tuesday that Ankara wants to advance intelligence-sharing projects including satellites.

Turkey is taking delivery of around 10 Heron surveillance drones purchased from IAI for 200 million euros, the Israeli security source said, and has voiced a "preliminary interest" in Israel's Arrow II anti-missile system.

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 attacks by Islamist Hamas and other militant factions.

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1.	Barak will never be a real man to do peace	13:45	\|	Khalil Ishabib	12/02/08

2.	Barak STOP IMAGINING and just look at Turkey!	14:11	\|	Al	12/02/08

3.	Stupid to sell to Turkey. Why do they want to spy on Israel???	19:59	\|	Jo	12/02/08

4.	Definition of a fool ...	21:01	\|	bat yam	12/02/08

5.	#3 is right. Selling them a satelite to use against us is dumb	21:30	\|	Gili	12/02/08

6.	Answer to Al	21:41	\|	Me	12/02/08

7.	Turkey, turkeys & Barak.	21:52	\|	curious	12/02/08

8.	So you want to sell Turkey Satellite	21:59	\|	Yoav	12/02/08

9.	How can you control what to spy on?	22:15	\|	Dory	12/02/08

10.	Don`t sell it	22:17	\|	Awake	12/02/08

11.	If we don`t sell, French will	22:31	\|	Moshe	12/02/08

12.	spy vs spy	23:55	\|	moosa	12/02/08

13.	Is someone nuts? Its easy, just write a software patch...	00:10	\|	Dr. L. Brnd	13/02/08

14.	Moshe - Yes the Europeans put restrictions	00:33	\|	David Israel	13/02/08

15.	#11 Doubtful	00:54	\|	Gili	13/02/08

16.	Ah, is there anyone paying attention in Israel?	02:58	\|	Mark Lincoln	13/02/08

17.	Has anybody noticed - Turkish women are wearing head scarves	03:08	\|	* BEN JABO	13/02/08

18.	Turkey buying an Israeli sattalite benefits Israel in many ways	14:12	\|	zionist forever	13/02/08

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