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ANKARA: Turkey delivers diplomatic note to Israel over remarks

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  • ANKARA: Turkey delivers diplomatic note to Israel over remarks

    Hürriyet, Turkey
    Feb 14 2009


    Turkey delivers diplomatic note to Israel over commander's remarks


    The Turkish Foreign Ministry delivered on Saturday a diplomatic note
    to Israel concerning the harsh remarks of an Israeli general. In a
    separate statement, the Turkish army said the remarks are in an extent
    that could harm the bilateral relations.

    The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday that Israeli
    Ambassador to Ankara Gabby Levy had been summoned to the ministry by
    the undersecretary regarding the general's comments.

    His remarks violated all forms of diplomatic practices, and
    contradicted with the historical and current realities therefore these
    "accusations and nonsensical talks" targeting prime minister and the
    country had been protested by a note, the Turkish foreign ministry
    said in a statement.

    "Furthermore, we have stressed that the relevant statements of Avi
    Mizrahi are ungrounded and unacceptable and as such we have requested
    an urgent explanation from Israeli authorities," the statement added.

    On Friday, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Maj. Gen. Avi
    Mizrahi, a veteran professional officer, called on Turkish Prime
    Minister Tayyip Erdogan to look in the mirror.

    The Israeli General took a step further and accused Turkey of
    "committing massacre of the Armenians as well as the suppression of
    the Kurds". Mizrahi also mentioned the so-called Turkish occupation of
    northern Cyprus, according to the report.

    ARMY'S STATEMENT

    The Turkish army issued a statement on Saturday to slam Mizrahi over
    his words.

    "These remarks, as the way they were published in the media reports,
    are considered to be misleading the facts, unfortunate, unacceptable
    and more importantly in an extent that could harm the national
    interests between two countries," the army said in a statement posted
    on its Web site.

    The military also called on the Israeli army, "which is considered to
    be attaching great importance to its relations with the Turkish Armed
    Forces", to clarify Mizrahi's statement.

    Erdogan has harshly criticized Israel's operations in Gaza which
    killed more than 1,300 people dead. The relations strained after
    Erdogan stormed out of a Gaza debate in Davos with Israeli President
    Shimon Peres.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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