The FINANCIAl — Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said Turkey threatened to veto Israel earlier this year in case the Jewish state establishes an office as part of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue initiative which Israel is a part of along with other six countries.
Davutoğlu revealed in an interview with Turkish CNN TURK broadcaster on Sunday that Turkey threatened to veto a move by Israel to open a NATO office in Brussels while Turkish officials say Turkey’s decision to veto may change according to political circumstances.
Turkey earlier vowed that it will pursue every kind of opportunity in international platforms to squeeze Israel after the ties between the two former allies badly damaged following the Mavi Marmara incident last year which left nine Turkish civilians dead.
In 1994, NATO launched an initiative to establish partnership with non-NATO member Mediterranean countries, including Israel.
Israel, through the help and coordination of the US, made an attempt to open the NATO office in Brussels earlier this year and Turkey threatened to veto Israel’s move in NATO’s foreign ministers meeting in Berlin on April 14-15. Turkish officials then said in current conditions, Turkey won’t approve Israel to open the office and veto it if Tel-Aviv officially applies.
Israel then stepped back from opening the office after Turkey’s response.
Turkish diplomatic sources told Today’s Zaman that Turkey’s decision to veto Israel is not permanent and that it could be change according to political circumstances.
Turkish and Israeli relations badly damaged after Israeli naval commandos stormed Mavi Marmara ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gazans last year in May, killing nine civilians. Turkey demands official apology, compensation and lifting Gaza blockade as a condition to normalize relations. Israel only offered regret and says its soldiers acted in self-defense.
Diplomatic sources said NATO member states found Turkey’s reaction normal as Israel did not apologize and pay compensation for flotilla deaths, adding that Turkey may reconsider its decision according to developments in international politics. Turkish officails said it is impossible to say that all doors are closed to Israel in NATO.
Israel joined the Mediterranean Dialogue initiative in 1995 with Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia and Egypt and later on, Jordan and Algeria were accepted.
Turkey and the US, two NATO members, held joint naval military drills in eastern Mediterranean previously and Israel is the most active member among all other partners of the Mediterranean Dialogue.
In 2005 March, Israel and NATO conducted its first naval military drill in Red Sea.
Washington supports Israel’s policy to use and access NATO’s military facilities and operational capability and benefit from its experience by participating in NATO’s military drill.
Last year, Turkey said Israel must not be able to access NATO’s military secrets when the alliance member states were discussing deployment of components of air-defense NATO radar system in Turkey.
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