Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul: There has been no change in the structure or substance of Turkey's relations with Israel.
Hebrew daily “Yediot Ahronot” quotes Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul as saying, "There has been no change in the structure or substance of Turkey's relations with Israel." Gul denied recent reports that the Turkish government had decided to suspend all defense contracts with Israel, due to the latter's policies toward the Palestinians.
Gul's comment came after a period of tension in Israeli-Turkish relations. Two incidents stand out. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin an act of terrorism, and said he was considering canceling a visit to Israel. In addition, a visit by Minister of Industry Trade and Labor Ehud Olmert to Turkey has been cancelled.
Turkey's foreign ministry said yesterday that Turkish-Israeli relations still served the interests of both countries and contributed to achieving peace in the region. The ministry stated, "Turkish and Israeli projects in a number of areas are still ongoing." A ministry spokesman said the Turkish government was reviewing tenders that were "of interest to many countries, but the review does not include projects relating to Israel and Turkey."
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on May 20, 2004