Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-R,ivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basm Özeti
Levy.
The cooperation between Turkish and
Israeli air forces and navies in accordance
with a series of agreements signed
in 1996, two carrying the signature of
Turkey's Islamist Prime Minister
Necmettin Erbakan, "adds up to the
area's hottest new military fact oflife:'
Kinzer wrote.
Referring to the strategic implications
of such a military cooperation for Syria,
Kinzer noted, "An alliance with Turkey
could go a long way toward neutralizing
Syria in'any major crisis. It could ~so
make Syria think twice about stimng up
trouble in Israel' s north, however preoccupied
Israel may be with quelling unrest
amom! the Palestinians." ,
Fun text of the article is below:
ïsrael and Turkey: '
A Mideast Friendship
"When the fiery Islamic politician
Necmettin Erbakan took office as
Turkey's primeminister last June, it
was logical to expect that he would
tone down his passionate denunciations
of "Zionist imperialism" and
stop calling for a jihad to liberate
Jerusalem. But few expected to see
him sitting: down for a friendly chat
with the Israeli foreign minister.
That improbable meeting took
place last week at the Foreign
Ministry'in Ankara. True to form, a
group of protesters assembled in
Istanbul to burn an Israeli flag and
declare the Visiting 'dignitary, David
Levy, "persona non grata." What was.
remarkable was not the protest, but.
the fact that Erbakan, who a year ago
might have led it, was now it.starget.
During his v.isit, Lev~ met ~l.th s~veral
high-rankmg Turkls~ off1~lals ~n.
addition to Erbakan, dlscussmg CIvIlian
cooperation and ways to increase
trade. But undoubtedly his most substantive
meeting was with the chief ?f
the Turkish general staff, Gen. lsmall
Hakki Karadayl. They reviewed the
rapidly expanding Turkish-Israeli
security relationship and agreed to
deepenit.
Over the last two years, Turkey
and Israel have quietly forged a
remarkable program of military cooperation;
in the process, they have created
what is now the most powerful
military friendship in the Mi~dle.
East. The relationship is continUing to
develop, improving the secl;1rityof
both countries even as relatIons
between Israel and the Palestinians
deteriorate, and as the entire region
faces the rise of fundamentalist
Islamic movements.
In particular. the relationship can
oriiy make Israeli leaders more confident
that they can take tough posi- '
lions in dealing with their Arab
neighbors. An alliance with Turkey
could go a long way toward neutralizinK
Syria. in anYmajor crisis. It could
Gen. Çevik Bir to visit Israel
in May following Defense
Minister Tayan's footsteps
Future plans: 'During Gen. Bir' s trip to
Israel, both countries' delegations will discuss
the military training agreement to determine
1997 plans and details for planned military
exercises,' said a source
METEHAN
DEMIR
Ankara- Turkish Daily News
• Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Çevik Bir is to fly to
Israel on May 4 with a group of 20 high-levelofficers to .
hold talks with Israeli military and government officials,
the Turkish Daily News has learned. Çevik Bir' s visit will
occur just days after that of Defense Minister Turhan
Tayan, who plans to go there on April 30.'
"DuringGen. Bir's trip to Israel, both countries' delegations
will discuss the military training agreement to determine
1997 plans and details for planned military exercises,"
said a source. He reportedly will assess the Israel
Aircraft Industries (lAI) plant where Turkish F-4s are
being upgraded.
Gen. Bir, who last week started a tour in France to confer
about Turkey's tanks, will also be briefed on Israel's '
recent prop'osal to modernize Turkish M-60 tanks. In addition,
he wIlllisten to Israeli offers to refit 48 F-5 fighter
jets as well as plans to produce a modem rifle replacement
for the G-3 type small arms currently used by the Turkish
infantry. With its Phalcon model, Israel is among the candidates
hoping to be involved in Turkey's bid to buy earlywarning
wrcraft (AWACS), about which a briefing is also
expected.,
The Turkish military has been flaying a key role in
improving defense ties with Israe from the beginning,
and strongly defends the necessity of such agreements,
despite Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan' s reluctance to
do so.
Official defense links between the two countries were
launched with a military training cooperation agreement
signed in February 1996, and the second arrangement came
last August with a defense industry cooperation deal.
Additionally, Turkey has chosen Israel as the main contractor
for the modernization of 54 Turkish F-4s totalling
$630 million.
The military training accord that envisages the use of
each other's air and sea space for pilot training sparked a
row among Middle Eastern countries which feIt that
Turkey was aligning itself with Israel against Syria and
other Arab states. The series of agreements between Israel
and Turkey has also provoked harsh criticism from Muslim
couD:tries who accuse Turkey of betraying the Arab commumty.
In the manpower area, 17 well-educated Turkish
, '?fficen llJ'e.in.-Hebronas 8 -contribution to the peàcekeepmg
force.
Good fellas
In recent times, Turkey and Israel have intensified relations
by frequent visits, especially in the defense field. President
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