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ANKARA: Diplomatic Tensions Escalate After Israel Snubs Turkish Amba

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  • ANKARA: Diplomatic Tensions Escalate After Israel Snubs Turkish Amba

    DIPLOMATIC TENSIONS ESCALATE AFTER ISRAEL SNUBS TURKISH AMBASSADOR

    Hurriyet
    Jan 12 2010
    Turkey

    Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon (l) and Turkish Ambassador Oguz
    Celikkol (r) in the controversial seating order on Monday. AFP photo

    The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to Ankara,
    Gaby Levy, on Tuesday, asking for an explanation about the undiplomatic
    treatment in Tel Aviv of the Turkish ambassador.

    Late Monday, Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned
    Ambassador Oguz Celikkol to criticize a Turkish television drama
    depicting Israeli security forces kidnapping children and shooting
    old men.

    As the meeting started, Ayalon told the cameramen that Celikkol was
    purposely seated on a sofa lower than his own chair, reported Turkish
    broadcaster NTV. He also noted there was no Turkish flag on display.

    Israeli Defense Minister expected in Ankara this weekend

    Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is expected to head to Ankara
    this weekend for talks with Turkish leaders, his office said Tuesday
    as tensions between the longstanding allies spiked again. Barak is
    scheduled to meet with President Abdullah Gul, Foreign Minister Ahmet
    Davutoglu and senior military officials on Sunday, an official in
    Barak's office told Agence France-Presse.

    Meanwhile, Israeli ministry sources said Monday that Foreign Minister
    Avigdor Lieberman was trying to stop Barak from visiting Turkey next
    week in order to keep up the recent tensions between the two allied
    countries as well as prevent Turkey from resuming its role as mediator
    in Israel's peace talks with Syria, reported daily Haaretz.

    "We get the sense that Lieberman wants to heat things up before
    Barak's visit," a senior Foreign Ministry source said. "All the recent
    activities were part of Lieberman's political agenda."

    The Turkish government was expected to give a warm welcome to Barak,
    who alongside Labor Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer was looking to
    bring the allies' relations back to stability
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