TURKEY: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan confirms decision to exclude Israel from military exercise was in protest at its invasion of Gaza

Record ID: 217621

  • Title: TURKEY: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan confirms decision to exclude Israel from military exercise was in protest at its invasion of Gaza
  • Date: 16th October 2009
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (OCTOBER 15, 2009) (REUTERS) (CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE WITH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ALI BABACAN JOURNALISTS AWAITING ERDOGAN STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING "There is a necessity for every politica
  • Embargoed: 31st October 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA52JSQW721DQME3VZE6T9ADEU0
  • Story Text: Turkey barred Israel from participating in a NATO war exercise this week because of its public's concerns over Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip this year, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday (October 15).
    Turkey, a secular state with a Muslim population, has been a key ally of Israel, but relations have cooled over Erdogan's outspoken criticism of Israel's three-week offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in December and January.
    "There is a necessity for every political administration to take into consideration the demands of its people. This is a necessity, I can't ignore the request of my own people on this issue," he said.
    The U.S. State Department on Tuesday (October 13) objected to Turkey's last-minute decision to exclude Israel from the exercise, which had been due to start on Monday.
    The drill was postponed indefinitely after other nations, including the United States and Italy, refused to take part without Israel's air force, diplomatic sources said.
    But Erdogan remained defiant despite the snub from Washington and Rome.
    "Turkey is a powerful country which doesn't need anyone else and can take all these decisions on its own. Turkey doesn't take decisions based on someone else's advice or instructions," he added.
    After Ankara announced Israel's exclusion, Syria said it would conduct military exercises with Turkey. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem welcomed Turkey's decision, saying it "reflects the way Turkey regards the Israeli attack in Gaza".
    Israel dismissed the Turkish-Syrian announcement.
    Turkey and Israel have enjoyed close military cooperation, including Israeli air force training in Turkish air space. The two countries also share intelligence and have strong trade ties, including the sale of important military equipment.
    But relations became strained after Erdogan criticised Israel over the Gaza campaign and walked out on Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in January.
    Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, previously a policy adviser to Erdogan, has spearheaded the AK Party government's push to boost ties with neighbours including south Caucasus states, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
    A U.N. report last month found that both the Israeli armed forces and Hamas fighters had committed war crimes in the Gaza conflict, but was more critical of Israel.
    A Palestinian rights group says 1,417 Palestinians, including 926 civilians, were killed in the war. Israel has said 709 Palestinian combatants were killed along with 295 civilians and 162 people whose status it was unable to clarify.
    Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians were killed during the conflict, which Israel launched with the declared aim of ending cross-border rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.
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