Turkey officials discuss Gaza flotilla, Iran nukes on U.S. visit
Visit comes after the U.S. denied a report stating it had warned Turkey strained ties with Israel, support of Iran could hinder a significant arms deal between Washington and Ankara.
By Natasha Mozgovaya and Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Iran nuclear Gaza flotillaA top Turkish official made an official visit to the United States this week, the Turkish daily Zaman reported on Wednesday, in what was described as an attempt to iron out "misunderstandings" concerning Turkey's policy toward Iran's nuclear program, as well as its recent tensions with Israel.
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A banner featuring a picture of Turkey PM A banner featuring a picture of Turkey PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan outside a souvenir shop in Gaza City outside a souvenir shop in Gaza City, June 6, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been on shaky ground for a while, beginning with Operation Cast Lead in the winter of 2008-2009 and worsening this year following the flotilla incident at the end of May, in which Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish citizens aboard a ship attempting to break the Gaza blockade
Earlier this month, the United States denied reports it had given Turkey an ultimatum, threatening to scrap a huge arms deal unless the Muslim state toned down its hostile stance against Israel.
The denial followed a Financial Times report, indicating that U.S. President Barack Obama had warned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that strained ties with Israel and increasing support of Iran could hinder Washington's plan to ship arms, including sophisticated drones, to Turkey.
Diplomatic sources told Zaman on Wednesday that Turkey's Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu arrived in Washington to hold close consultations with senior U.S. officials, in which he placed the blame over continued tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem on Israel, saying Israel should have both apologized and compensated the victims' families.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry official also reportedly told American officials that tensions would have also been resolved had Israel agreed to the Turkish demand to establish an international investigation of the May 31 raid.
"Things would have been settled quicker if Israel had apologized and paid compensation but Israel did not prefer that method," diplomats told Zaman.
"The sooner Israel apologized and paid compensation, the quicker the problem would be solved," the sources said.
Sources also indicated that the United Nations report regarding the Gaza flotilla raid would be presented prior to September 15.
Regarding Turkey's position on Iran's controversial nuclear program, the senior diplomat asserted that Turkey was not interested in taking sides but in assisting a resolution of the matter, saying Turkey, as Iran's neighbor could not remain indifferent to the issue.
"Turkey, as Iran's neighbor, did not want any instability in the region," the sources told Zaman.
The Turkish delegation reiterated Ankara's commitment to Diplomats to the recently imposed UN sanctions on Iran, saying, however, that the country was not committed to any bilateral sanctions of those imposed by the European Union.
The sources indicating that they were against any country having a nuclear weapons program, in what may have been a gesture toward Israel's alleged nuclear arsenal, the existence of which it has neither affirmed or denied.
On Tuesday, a United Nations official said Israel wasn't cooperating with the UN Human Rights Council's probe of May's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
Juan Carlos Monge, who is assigned to accompany the fact-finding mission, said it was speaking with witnesses and government officials in Turkey and Jordan, adding that Israel hasn't granted the team an invitation.
Israel's UN mission said Tuesday it wasn't commenting on the investigation.
A report will be presented to the council September 27.
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The talkbackers don't understand the context here. The AKP are taking Hugo Chavez pattern in replacing democracy with authoritarianism. The AKP tried to round up the secular elite twice in the last year. The ergonikon scandal started with the arrest of a Sargeant with a few grenades in his abode. This was linked to an Army Colonel that wrote an article in which he pointed out that an Islamic government intent on purging secular institutions can be replaced by the Constitutional Court. The AKP prosecutors used this as an excuse to indict over 200 secular intellectuals, journalists, even though there is no evidence that they knew the Colonel who is the supposed head of the plot. The AKP became frustrated because the secular courts released the indicted repeatedly. The AKP started a referendum to change the Constitution and replace the judiciary with hand picked judges appointed by the PM - Erdogan. The referendum will be held next month and will concentrate total power in the AKP. The AKP even added the former head of the largest opposition party to the list of the indicted. The attacks on Israel was a domestic ploy to distract Turks from this takeover. It looks like it will work. However, when the AKP rounds up thousands of seculars in a mass purge, Turkey will lose it's Western allies. Erdogan's hubris will test the entire country as Kemalists join the PKK in a free for all. was indicted
work seriously on peace and establish wealth and prosperity in the whole region. Just learn from Europe and Turkey. All and our children and grand childrens will benefit from that.
What is it that Erdogan suddenly need so badly as his mental state seems to be in a frenzy over Israeli/Turkish relations ,could it be Obamas ultimatum and future arms sales ,or the lack of Israeli UAV,s to check on the Kurds or maybe the absence of tens of thousands of Israeli tourists spending millions of dollars and keeping Turks in jobs,i wonder ?
Because they do not understand the international politics. Reason, too emotional. Any criticism of Israel is not antisemitism. Turkey has valid reason to break up the Israel. Israel being rogue state is the biggest reason. turkey can't co-operate with a rogue state while have relationship with its neighbors too. Turkey has not had fight with Iranians for almost 400 years. The border with Iran has not changed since 1632. Israel public is paranoid about Turkey and their charge of Turkey becaming Islamic is just propaganda. The objective is fear-mongering.
Turkey can't co-operate with a rogue state ??? Tyrkie Is THE rogue State!! And If you doubt it, you could ask Cypriots, Armenians, Kourds, Pontians and Greeks of course! If they don't count for you, you should say it straight from begining Human Right observer Mose!
Let's ask Macedonians, Albanians, Bosnians, Turkish Cypriots and Turks what they think about Greeks!
Seeing a little minority in their country with the strongest lobby, and the senators are working for Israel not US, soldiers are dying for Israel not US, and all this is for to "Free the world". Anywas its not our problem, history shows what happens to the countries, which are completaly undercontrol of lobby groups. Project Israel will fail. Eventually.
why would US care? they holding israel's back whatever crimes they do, GO IRAN, GO TURKEY!
Fortunately for the turks, turkey is not governed by the Jews. Unfortunately for US Citizens, the USA is manipulated by the Jews. They disrubpted their banking system. The USA bankrupted itself with the huge amount of debt to fight Israel's unwinnable wars. The Jews have a free hand to spy on the US. The Jews are wise enough to even get huge annual help from US taxes. Bravo Jews.
The USA will want to make the sale of the arms come what may, this is just the Obama administration with a few crocodile tears for Israeli friends in the USA.
WHERE TURKEY STANDS WHEN TURKISH AND IRANIAN ISLAMO -FASHISTS ARE OUTSIDE JERUSALEM.IT'S TIME TO ACT NOW BEFORE TURKS GET TOO CLOSE TO IRAN AND SYRIA.
Being an American you don't seem to know that Turkey has the second largest army in NATO (after US) with all the latest equipment. Why would you suggest a conflict which would inflict serious damage to Turkey, Israel and American interest. Are you hating US that much or are you just a kid without any real world knowledge? Btw, your caps-lock seems to be broken.
Turkey was trying to get as much as possible fron US and Israel and all this tech will end up in the iranian hands.The rest is illusions.A muslim country can never be a friend of Israel.Read the koran.
And it's essentially said as much - at least internally - from almost every quarter. The situation was badly handled from the onset. I'll venture that an apology along those lines would satisfy the Turkish government. Israel doesn't have to apologize for acting to stop the flotilla...the apology that's pertinent would be for the method and its outcome. Why is Israel always so friggin' stubborn about admitting when it has FACT up?
eventually that colonial enterprise will fade into irrelevance anyway. best to make friends with the chinese and russians (and europeans), don't worry about the bane of the international community.
israel and the U.S will chase away the best possible ally it had in mid east besides saudi arabia and they can care less for israel
pretty soon, the only allies the US will have left in the middle east are israel and arab dictatorships. they have successfully alienated every democracy and have destroyed two (oil-rich) countries, with at least two more (iran and yemen) to go. defenders of freedom, my ass.
until radical stooge erdogan wipes his own smile off his degenerate face and retires. Then both countries can restart good, friendly relationship...Israel should develope strong ties with Greece.
Do you you know Greece, their history and their attitudes against jews? While the Turks were saving jews during WWII, the Greeks were handing them over to the nazis. Btw, the feelings hasn't changed that much since then. You still have strong feelings for them?
Any state who shoots civilians should needs to be taught a lesson.
Absolutely Right. Greece is playing Real Politic. They have shown over 60 years disdain to Israel, siding with the arabs on each and every mater while Turkey was, until Erdogan and his party came to pwer, a reliable , friendly partner in most levels: culturly, diplomaticaly and in commerce. The quarel with Erdogan will not last but appology - for what! Turkey has blundere and they know it. They climbed a tree they find difficult to get of from. imagine Erdogan suddenly is quite about the whole flotila story, his press mute, a real loughing stock.
...out of 1.1 million armenians dated in 1915 in the whole eastern anatolia. Very interesting mathematic calculation. Clone Wars for sure.
Where did you find this? Do you know who is the first Greek Officer who died for Greece A Greek Jew Colonel named Mordechai Fritzis..He loved Greece and Greece loves him.. Keep your facts Straight Turk. Check the Jewish Virtual library first. Turk and wash tour mouth with Bleach before tou talk about Greece. I know that the Greek Israeli alliance hurts your mind..Sorry but if you snooze you loose. You forgot the Kirk Eli pogroms in Turkey 1934,you forgot the Struma incident,you forgot the 1943-44 tax for minorities.. ( the 1825 hangings of the Jewish leadership, and the 1828 pogromsin Bagdad.. Keep Dreaming Turks.. And use a kosher Bleach next time when you talk about Greece. Rabbi Saltiel good or bad betrayed Greek jews in Sallonika Turk.. Not the Greeks..All the Romaniotes escaped the Nazis. Thats from a Greek Jew...
the 70.000 jews of salonica were handed to the nazis by their own chief rabbi actually.Greece was the only country that protected most of its jews,and the greek orthodox church gave to them christian identities(when the romanian,croatian,ukrainian chrurches sanctified their prosecutions).Only the one in salonica were sent to poland the other have been saved.Actually Greece durng 36'-41' offered equality to its jews and regarded saturday as holiday,when others(spain,slovakia,lithuania,germany,hungary,romania,bulgaria,USSR,portugal,latvia)prosecutd them racial and religiously(USSR).How many jews have been harmed in Greece during the last 3-4 decades.Nobody(except some slurs and beatings by albanians/anarchists).Not even one case of beating or threat by far right.Your country even had closed ties to nazi germany,and during 90s many jews have been murdered or raped in your country.We didnt have trhace pogrom(by kemalists),and our immigrants(Germany) dont slur/hate israel.Greece is only in exterior pro-arab.cause we need their oil.If we just dont play it friends to them,our economy would collapsed.Only a small minority have anti-jewish feelings here(anarchistis-leftists and chrisi avgi members).Your country during 40-41' even denied to ships carring jewish refugees,and during ottoman times,you discouraged jews from settling in palestine various times.
Jews lived for millennia in Greece, which is fool of Synagoges. Greeks protected the Jews during WWII. Risking their lives to hide them in their homes and churches.Protected by rebels in to the mountains and cities, gave them identities, were sent from Turkey to Israel
Romaniote is the most ancient European Jews (see prophet Isaiah for Remote islands), and there was never been persecutions as in other Christian and Muslim countries- including Turkey.
protected their jews and the orthodox churches of Bulgaria and Armenia protected their jews.Ask some jews from this countries.
After the 2nd Temple was destroyed by the romans,big part of the jews went to Armenia and stayed there for a while before they moved to Europe and lots of jews married armenians.This is proven by the genetic research of the univercity of Jerusalem.
If Obama tries to force the Turks to kiss Israeli butts, he will be making a huge mistake. He needs to stop arm twisting on Israels behalf. He is cheapening himself and his nation.
No kissing until Turkey accepts the blame and apologizes for organizing the bloodshed and confrontation with Israel.
He already has cheapened himself and the USA due to his lack of coherent foreign policy and it has nothing to do with Israel. Obama is stooging for Turkey as you put it and will kiss their butts all the way to the nearest Kebap house.
We will see who will apologize to who
Israel won't forget how Turkey provoked Israel by sending a flotilla of terrorists to Gaza to help Hamas. And yes, we'll see who apologizes first. If you think Israel will, don't hold your breath.
You Turks have it all wrong Isreal nor THE USA need to apologize. Turkey shouldn't start what its not able to finish and them get mad when Isreal stops you and embarrasses you. Don't send flotillas to break a legal blockade. Tell your leaders to pay the flotilla victims compensation after all your the one's. Who allowed the flotilla to go steaming towards Gaza
Natallie, Obama does what American people want him to do. he was elected by the people. And US people is represented by the Congress. I lived and travelled throughout US and ordinary Americans mostly are very much in favour of Israel, especially after September 11. So if Obama wants to get re-elected, he needs to reflect the consensus in his country.