Turkey: military agreements with Israel undermine Arab- Turkish relations
Regional-Syria, Politics, 11/16/1998

The Turkish Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Ismat Sezgin has admitted that the military agreements Turkey signed with Israel have actually damaged Arab-Turkish relations.

In a statement issued Saturday in the Egyptian daily al-Wafd, he said such "a damage was quite clear." He added that military agreements between Turkey and Israel was a reason in increasing tension in the recent crisis between Syria and Turkey."

Sezgin expressed optimism in the region through continued Syrian-Turkish meetings in the interest of the two countries. He praised the Egyptian-Iranian mediation in this field. The Turkish defense minister concluded his statement as saying that Turkey seeks to " improve the situation in the region. It also seeks to establish fraternity and friendship relations with both the Arabs and Muslims."

Previous Stories:
  Saudi Arabia and Al Azhar call on Syria and Turkey to prevent bloodshed   (10/13/1998)
  Ankara: Syria's proposals positive   (10/13/1998)
  Arab League denounces Israeli - Turkish military maneuvers   (9/12/1998)

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