Turkish foreign minister to visit Israel during the current month

The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is going to pay a formal visit to Israel from July 6 - 9 at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that during the third day of his visit Cem will head to the Palestinian territories to meet with officials in the Palestinian government.

Cem's visit comes in a reply to a formal visit made by former Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy in April 1997.

The spokesman added that Israeli and Palestinian officials will discuss the bilateral relations and the peace process in the Middle East.

During his visit, the Turkish minister will meet with Israeli President Ezer Weizmen and hold talks with Israeli Minister of Trade and Industry Natan Sharansky who paid a visit to Ankara in March.

The exchange of visits between Turkey and Israel has increased since the two sides signed a military cooperation agreement in February 1996 that aroused criticism in the Arab states.