Israeli envoy in Turkey summoned
August 3rd, 2010 - 8:17 pm ICT by IANSIstanbul, Aug 3 (DPA) Israel’s ambassador to Turkey has been asked to explain recent remarks made by his country’s defence minister regarding concerns he has about Turkey’s new intelligence chief, Turkish officials said Tuesday.
Envoy Gaby Levy was summoned Monday to the Turkish foreign ministry.
In remarks made at a July 25 closed-door meeting of party activists, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said he is concerned that Hakan Fidan, who was appointed to head Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation in May, is a “friend of Iran”.
Parts of Barak’s speech ended up being broadcast on Israel Army Radio. In one part, Barak said he was worried that several secrets Israel had shared in the past with Turkey “could become open to Iran over the next several months”.
Fidan was previously a foreign policy advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and was Turkey’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The once-close relations between Turkey and Israel have been severely strained since an Israeli commando raided a Turkish-led Gaza aid flotilla May 31, leaving nine Turkish activists dead.
At the same time, relations between Turkey and some of its other neighbours, Syria and Iran in particular, have improved rapidly in recent years.
- Israeli government the problem, not the people: Turkish PM - Oct 03, 2011
- Iran wants n-talks in Istanbul - Mar 30, 2012
- British prime minister calls Gaza 'prison camp' - Jul 27, 2010
- Victims of Israel flotilla raid identified - Jun 03, 2010
- Turkish PM warns of 'disastrous' consequence if Israel strikes Iran - Apr 01, 2012
- US 'supporting' international terrorists: Turkish PM - Oct 15, 2010
- Turkey has closed airspace to Israeli military flights: PM - Jun 28, 2010
- Israeli soldiers fired at Gaza-bound aid ships in self-defence, says inquiry - Jan 24, 2011
- Turkey insists on international Gaza flotilla investigation - Jun 14, 2010
- UEFA congress begins in Istanbul - Mar 22, 2012
- Turkish PM says they will not remain silent if Israel attacks Lebanon - Nov 26, 2010
- Turkey role model for Islamic states: Gilani - May 22, 2012
- Flotilla raid: US trying to placate Turkey without condemning Israel - Jun 02, 2010
- UN chief proposes joint Gaza aid flotilla probe - Jun 06, 2010
- Israeli defence minister takes blame for flotilla raid - Aug 11, 2010
Tags: army radio, atomic energy agency, close relations, defence minister, ehud barak, fidan, flotilla, intelligence organisation, international atomic energy, international atomic energy agency, israel army, national intelligence, party activists, prime minister recep tayyip erdogan, recep tayyip erdogan, syria and iran, time relations, turkish foreign ministry, turkish officials, turkish prime minister