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Israeli and Turkish generals still talking amid row
JERUSALEM - Israels military chief said on Tuesday he had been in contact with his Turkish counterpart in an effort to maintain relations in the midst of a diplomatic row over the deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza aid ship.Briefing Israeli lawmakers behind closed doors, Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi said he had been personally in touch with the Turkish chief of staff since the high seas interception, which Israel defended as part of its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza. Ashkenazi said he thought there was a limit to Turkeys change of political direction because as a NATO member it was dependent on Western military hardware, according to a parliamentary official who briefed reporters. On a military level, Ashkenazi thought Israeli-Turkish ties could be maintained as before. Relations are important, and we must maintain them during turbulent times, the commander said. Contact with the military is continuing despite the fact that some exercises have been cancelled, he added. I gained the impression that on the military level there is no problem and nothing to prevent continued meetings. Turkeys powerful military has long been the self-appointed guardian of the secular constitution, leading to tension with the Islamist-rooted government of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. I do not know where Erdogans path is leading them, Ashkenazi said. Israel is a major defence exporter to Turkey, with annual sales of around $2.5 billion, an Israeli defence official said. In a $180-million deal, Turkey ordered 10 surveillance drones from Israel. Six were delivered before the ship crisis, the official said, with the rest to follow in coming weeks. Posted by: Steve White 2010-07-07 |
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