TURKEY
• DIPLOMACY
Tuesday, February 09 2010 20:02 GMT+2
Your time is 
  

Israel declines Turkish mediation, says Erdošan

Font Size: Larger|Smaller
Thursday, November 19, 2009
ROME - Daily News with wires
Prime Minister Erdošan at the World Summit on Food Security in Rome. AA photo

Prime Minister Erdošan at the World Summit on Food Security in Rome. AA photo

Unlike his predecessor, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu no longer trusts Turkey to mediate stalled peace talks with Syria, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdošan said, signaling how much relations have deteriorated between the regional allies in recent months.

“Former Israeli Prime Minister [Ehud] Olmert trusted Turkey, but Netanyahu doesn't trust us. That's his choice,” the Anatolia news agency quoted Erdošan as telling reporters at the World Summit on Food Security in Rome.

Israel’s hard-liner Prime Minister Netanyahu and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met French President Nicolas Sarkozy separately last week, and Israel said it was ready to resume peace talks without preconditions. The Turkish prime minister, however, doubts Assad will accept French mediation.

“Now France is trying to take up the role we had. I'm not sure what kind of stance Bashar Assad will take, but from what I've heard from him, they're not going to accept something like this, Erdošan said. After meeting with Sarkozy, Assad said he was not willing to hold face-to-face negotiations with the Israeli leader and called instead for lower-level dialog under Turkish mediation.

Erdošan also remarked on the fact that earlier efforts by Turkey to mediate between Israel and Syria, including negotiations concerning Israeli withdrawal from Golan Heights, had been interrupted by Israel’s attack on Gaza.

Last year, Syria and Israel held four rounds of indirect peace talks mediated by Turkey without making headway. Negotiations were broken off last year during Israel's offensive in Gaza, closing a promising diplomatic channel towards a broader Middle East settlement. The Ankara government has repeatedly voiced its willingness to re-launch stalled negotiations, but Turkey’s worsened ties with Israel have clouded its role as a regional broker.


 

10 Comments   Bookmark and Share  printer friendly PRINTER FRIENDLY

READER COMMENTS

Guest - Vilgot (2009-11-20 09:13:12) :

The events lately carried out by Erdogan have not been very clever. Of course Israel does not trust him any more. Would we in Turkey trust a mediator who for example shouts at us "you know how to kill" at a conference for world leaders, who says "muslims do not commit genocide", who is very comfortable with Iran but not with western leaders etc etc. I simply do not think Erdogan is very skilled in foreign diplomacy and the results of that inability is what we see now.

Guest - DogruSoyle (2009-11-20 02:16:42) :

Mr. Doganay -- can you explain why Erdogan accuses Israelis of genocide when 1,000 Palestinian civilians die in the course of weeks of intense fighting, but invites the President of Sudan to visit him after hundreds of thousands are systematically killed by Khartoum? 1,000 can be, and probably is, unintentional and tragic, but 100,000 or more is something else. You know the answer -- it's because the 1,000 were Muslims killed by Jews, while the 100,000+ were Muslims killed by Muslims. If you and Erdogan are so concerned about human rights, why is it only the rights of Palestinians, Uigurs killed by non-Muslim Chinese or Bosnians killed by non-Muslim Serbs and Croats, that attract your attention, while Saddam's Kurdish victims, the people of Darfur, Tibetans or the Tamils in Sri Lanka never reach your radar screen?

Guest - Observer (2009-11-20 02:12:43) :

Mr. Erdogan, thank you but NO, thank you. Israelis will not even buy a used car from you.

Guest - Steve (2009-11-20 01:37:15) :

What's funny is how Erdogan in the name of Turkish government attacks Israel with great criticism in regards to Israel's offensive in Gaza calling it a genocide while forgetting about their neighbor Armenia and the genocide following the occupation which his great-grandparents committed during Ottoman Era. The most cynical person i've ever seen is Erdogan....

Guest - BJ (2009-11-19 23:55:32) :

In the last two years Turkey has become a regional power. However, if Turkey wishes to progress further and become the sole regional power by using its soft power, then it has to hold back its ties with Israel. Israel was founded on a racist ideology and it is affiliated with war crimes and racism. How could Turkey be a regional player and implement its policy from cooperation to integration with its neighbors while maintaining a close relationship with Israel? Turkey needs its neighbors more than it needs Israel so that it can further its economic growth. Many Secularists in Turkey are still concerned with the EU, while EU does not want Turkey to join its institute. Turkey is not just about EU; Turkey is about Middle East, Balkans, central Asia, Europe and the Islamic world.

Guest - Uri D, (2009-11-19 21:24:19) :

Israel will never rust this Erdogan, he poisoned the good relations between Israelis and Turks and his shameful lies are now known to all.

Guest - Mr Goksel Doganay (2009-11-19 21:16:06) :

Rich it isn't the Turkish army that is invading foreign territory and oppressing its people. It isn't the Turkish army that is killing innocent civilians. I think you need a lesson in the English language. To criticism someone is different to belittling them or fanning the flames of racism. If your so worried about anti-Semitism why are you ignoring the conduct of the Israeli army and its victims. You cannot have it both ways, you need to make a principled stand or not at all. You decide.

Guest - donha (2009-11-19 20:29:40) :

.... signaling how much relations have deteriorated between the regional allies in recent months..... As if that happened all by itself or through some other third party. Well it didn’t. Recep Tayyip Erdogan is personally and his AKP party is politically responsible for this deterioration in the relations between Turkey and Israel. It wasn’t necessary but he engineered it from the outset and has never missed a chance since to vehemently attack Israel and its policies at every hands turn. His and his party’s stance are reflected in the Turkish public’s changed attitude towards Jews these days. And what for? To look good on the Arab/Muslim street? Now he is sulking because he knows that he is slowly being marginalized on the international scene. The Turkish PM has done everything except strengthen the perception that he could be an honest mediator. Others will pick up where he has failed. He has shown he cannot be trusted to act impartially. He is no mediator and as long as he is there Turkey can forget about mediating for anyone at all. He did this, he is responsible and through his antics he has made Turkey look small, cheap and mean in the eyes of many in the international world.

Guest - Rich (2009-11-19 15:40:56) :

Israelis may be crazy- but they are not stupid. How could they trust Prime Minister Erdogan? He has attacked Israel in a vile, demeaning and loathsome manner that borders on anti-Semitism. As for Turkey? I think Israelis trust Turkey and the Turkish people. They and peace talks- which will no doubt be blocked by Mr. Erdogan- will have to wait till the Turkish government regains its sanity.

Guest - David Hebron (2009-11-19 11:33:07) :

It doesn't matter, i read often the word mediation and negotiations in the Jerusalem Post. I can't hear it anymore. It's their own behaviour, and they wounder why they have so many enemies. Cause they don't want peace. In a few years , the USA empire is going down, and Goliath Israel will stand alone. All peace talks will be finished at the Westernwall and Al-Aqsa. Everything else is a lie and falseness. God is against Israel and David will fight for Al-Aqsa. So what have the israelish people to expect ? And this will be the time , when God will bring a success, nobody has seen before. And all faithful people , and all people who trust in the judgementday and in the fullfilness of all prophets shall be glad. And Israels and America's world the people cry: God help us. But in God's temple the people will shout : Glory.

WRITE A COMMENT

Verification code
E-mail is required in case we need to communicate with you. It will not appear on the website and will never be used for any other purposes.
Comments policy: The Daily News seeks and supports freedom of expression and this commitment extends to our readers. Constraints include comments judged to be in violation of Turkish press law. We also moderate hate speech, libel and gratuitous insults.









TURKEY










Home | To Top | User Agreement and Privacy Policy | Rights and Permissions | Contact Us | Company | About News Room| RSS RSS Feed
diabetic desserts recipes recipes Diabetic Soups Holiday Pizza Recipes Popcorn Recipes Recipes For Microwave Pasta Recipes Casserole Recipes Chili Recipes Curry Recipes Crockpot Recipes Apples Recipes Bread Recipes Vegetarian Recipes Vegetable recipes Desserts Recipes Appetizers Ethnic Recipes Meat Dishes Barbecue Recipes Sauces Recipes Marinade Recipes Low Fat Recipes Frugal Gourmet Kitchen Classics Recipes On The Grill Cook Books Seafood Recipes Cajun Recipes Breads Low Fat Low Fat Breads Bread Machine Recipes Yeast Breads Quick Breads Fat Free Vegetarian Salad Recipes Eggplant Recipes Radish Recipes Tomato Recipes Jalapeno Recipes Potato Recipes Lettuce Recipes Cabbage Recipes Beans Ambrosia Recipes Biscotti Recipes Desserts Low Fat Cookie Recipes Cheesecake Recipes Cake Recipes Pie Recipes Muffin Recipes Custard Recipes Best Appetizers Appetizers Low Fat Salsa Recipes Dip Recipes International Recipes Afghan Recipes Alaska Recipes French Recipes German Recipes Greek Recipes Italian Recipes Spanish Recipes Thai Recipes Korean Recipes Chinese Recipes Mexican Recipes Indian Recipes Beef Recipes Pork Pork & Ham Pork Butts Pork Chop Recipes Pork Ribs Rulled Pork Poultry Recipes Stews Recipes Ground Beef Barbecue Grill Barbecue Smoker All Purpose Sauce BBQ Sauce Barbecue Sauce Carolina BBQ Sauce Pickle Recipes Marinades Smoking Low Fat Appetizers & Dips Low Fat Breakfast Low Fat Cakes Low Fat Cheesecakes Low Fat Cookies Low Fat Desserts Low Fat Fish & Seafood Low Fat Meats Low Fat Pasta Low Fat Pies Low Fat Salads Low Fat Sandwiches Low Fat Sauces & Condiments Low Fat Sides Low Fat Soups Low Fat Vegetarian Baker's Dozen Taste of Home Recipe Book Bon Appetit Cookbook Blacktie Cookbook Buster Cook Book Martha Stewart Cookbook Cookbook USA Cook Book Cook Book Sara's Cookbook Sara's Cookbook Appetizers and Dips Poultry recipes Diabetic recipes Holiday recipes Miscellaneous recipes 110 recipes 1986 Usenet cookbook 2900 recipes Cyberrealm recipes Great sysops of world Specialty recipes Ceideburg recipes Cheese recipes Chili recipes Fruits recipes Garlic recipes Great chefs of NY Londontowne recipes Raisins recipes Recipes for kids US Food Vegetarian recipes Bread recipes Drinks Meat Dishes Brisket recipes Caribou recipes Chicken recipes Filet mignons recipes Pork recipes Swordfish recipes Turkey recipes Pasta recipes Uncategorized recipes Ethnic recipes Canada recipes English recipes Ethiopia recipes Germany recipes Greece recipes Mexican recipes Philippines recipes Welsh recipes Microwave recipes Soups recipes Vegetable recipes Asparagus recipes Barley recipes Brown rice recipes Lentil recipes Mushrooms recipes Salads recipes Wild rice Desserts recipes Cakes recipes Chocolate recipes Cookies recipes Ice cream recipes