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EXPERT: ISRAEL LOBBY MAY RAISE ISSUE OF "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"
Trend
Sept 7 2011
Azerbaijan
Turkish Lieutenant-General in retirement Armagan Kuloglu believes
rupture in the Turkey-Israel relations will lead to different
consequences. Possibly, the Israeli lobby in the United States will
raise the issue of "Armenian genocide" in the Congress, he said.
"The Israeli lobby, opposing to rapture in the Israeli-Turkish
relations, may raise the genocide issue in the Congress," Kuloglu
told Trend over telephone from Ankara.
He said the gap between the two countries could also adversely affect
the economies of these countries.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sept. 2 that the
diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel passed on the secondary
level. Moreover, Ankara has frozen its military cooperation with
Tel Aviv.
Davutoglu said Ankara recalled its ambassador to Tel-Aviv. Davutoglu
said that the relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara will not be
restored till Israel apologizes to Turkey.
Issue of Israel's apology to Turkey became the principal question of
Ankara's political prestige, he said.
"Israel's refusal to apologize to Turkey can hit the political prestige
of Turkey," Kuloglu said.
So, Turkey can be brought to the world community in disadvantageous
position, which lost credibility, he stated.
Kuloglu said the Israeli-Turkish relations, which once had a strong
base, shattered with the coming of the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) to power in Turkey.
Turkey was one of the few countries in the region, which supported
strategic partnership with Israel, and break in the Israeli-Turkish
relations can brought Tel Aviv to a strategically disadvantage state,
he said.
The AKP came to power in Turkey in 2002. On Sept.12, 2011, the AKP
led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a landslide victory
in the parliamentary elections, gaining 50 percent of the vote.
Kuloglu excludes the possibility of a clash between the Turkish and
Israeli naval forces. He said Turkey tries not to enter into an armed
confrontation with any country.
Following Davutoglu's statements on the recall of ambassador from
Tel Aviv and reduction of diplomatic relations, Leader of the Turkish
opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu expressed
concern over possible clashes between the Turkish and Israeli naval
forces.
Relations between Turkey and Israel -- two strategic and military
partners -- worsened after Israeli naval attacks on the "Flotilla of
Freedom" carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31.
Nine Turks fell victim to a confrontation between Israeli soldiers
and international human rights activists on the Turkish ship.
Ankara later demanded that Israel issue an official apology, order
an independent international investigation, and pay compensation.
There was hope for the restoration of bilateral relations in December
last year, when Turkey sent two aircrafts to help Israel in the
fight against Israel's largest forest fire in country's history,
which claimed at least 41 lives.
However, later Turkish officials said that Ankara would only restore
relations with Israel after a formal apology, which Tel Aviv has
refused.
Trend
Sept 7 2011
Azerbaijan
Turkish Lieutenant-General in retirement Armagan Kuloglu believes
rupture in the Turkey-Israel relations will lead to different
consequences. Possibly, the Israeli lobby in the United States will
raise the issue of "Armenian genocide" in the Congress, he said.
"The Israeli lobby, opposing to rapture in the Israeli-Turkish
relations, may raise the genocide issue in the Congress," Kuloglu
told Trend over telephone from Ankara.
He said the gap between the two countries could also adversely affect
the economies of these countries.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sept. 2 that the
diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel passed on the secondary
level. Moreover, Ankara has frozen its military cooperation with
Tel Aviv.
Davutoglu said Ankara recalled its ambassador to Tel-Aviv. Davutoglu
said that the relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara will not be
restored till Israel apologizes to Turkey.
Issue of Israel's apology to Turkey became the principal question of
Ankara's political prestige, he said.
"Israel's refusal to apologize to Turkey can hit the political prestige
of Turkey," Kuloglu said.
So, Turkey can be brought to the world community in disadvantageous
position, which lost credibility, he stated.
Kuloglu said the Israeli-Turkish relations, which once had a strong
base, shattered with the coming of the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) to power in Turkey.
Turkey was one of the few countries in the region, which supported
strategic partnership with Israel, and break in the Israeli-Turkish
relations can brought Tel Aviv to a strategically disadvantage state,
he said.
The AKP came to power in Turkey in 2002. On Sept.12, 2011, the AKP
led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a landslide victory
in the parliamentary elections, gaining 50 percent of the vote.
Kuloglu excludes the possibility of a clash between the Turkish and
Israeli naval forces. He said Turkey tries not to enter into an armed
confrontation with any country.
Following Davutoglu's statements on the recall of ambassador from
Tel Aviv and reduction of diplomatic relations, Leader of the Turkish
opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu expressed
concern over possible clashes between the Turkish and Israeli naval
forces.
Relations between Turkey and Israel -- two strategic and military
partners -- worsened after Israeli naval attacks on the "Flotilla of
Freedom" carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31.
Nine Turks fell victim to a confrontation between Israeli soldiers
and international human rights activists on the Turkish ship.
Ankara later demanded that Israel issue an official apology, order
an independent international investigation, and pay compensation.
There was hope for the restoration of bilateral relations in December
last year, when Turkey sent two aircrafts to help Israel in the
fight against Israel's largest forest fire in country's history,
which claimed at least 41 lives.
However, later Turkish officials said that Ankara would only restore
relations with Israel after a formal apology, which Tel Aviv has
refused.