Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
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Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-R,ivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basm Öz<strong>et</strong>i<br />
Levy.<br />
The cooperation b<strong>et</strong>ween Turkish and<br />
Israeli air forces and navies in accordance<br />
with a series of agreements signed<br />
in 1996, two carrying the signature of<br />
Turkey's Islamist Prime Minister<br />
Necm<strong>et</strong>tin Erbakan, "adds up to the<br />
area's hottest new military fact oflife:'<br />
Kinzer wrote.<br />
Referring to the strategic implications<br />
of such a military cooperation for Syria,<br />
Kinzer noted, "An alliance with Turkey<br />
could go a long way toward neutralizing<br />
Syria in'any major crisis. It could ~so<br />
make Syria think twice about stimng up<br />
trouble in Israel' s north, however preoccupied<br />
Israel may be with quelling unrest<br />
amom! the Palestinians." ,<br />
Fun text of the article is below:<br />
ïsrael and Turkey: '<br />
A Mi<strong>de</strong>ast Friendship<br />
"When the fiery Islamic politician<br />
Necm<strong>et</strong>tin Erbakan took office as<br />
Turkey's primeminister last June, it<br />
was logical to expect that he would<br />
tone down his passionate <strong>de</strong>nunciations<br />
of "Zionist imperialism" and<br />
stop calling for a jihad to liberate<br />
Jerusalem. But few expected to see<br />
him sitting: down for a friendly chat<br />
with the Israeli foreign minister.<br />
That improbable me<strong>et</strong>ing took<br />
place last week at the Foreign<br />
Ministry'in Ankara. True to form, a<br />
group of protesters assembled in<br />
Istanbul to burn an Israeli flag and<br />
<strong>de</strong>clare the Visiting 'dignitary, David<br />
Levy, "persona non grata." What was.<br />
remarkable was not the protest, but.<br />
the fact that Erbakan, who a year ago<br />
might have led it, was now it.starg<strong>et</strong>.<br />
During his v.isit, Lev~ m<strong>et</strong> ~l.th s~veral<br />
high-rankmg Turkls~ off1~lals ~n.<br />
addition to Erbakan, dlscussmg CIvIlian<br />
cooperation and ways to increase<br />
tra<strong>de</strong>. But undoubtedly his most substantive<br />
me<strong>et</strong>ing was with the chief ?f<br />
the Turkish general staff, Gen. lsmall<br />
Hakki Karadayl. They reviewed the<br />
rapidly expanding Turkish-Israeli<br />
security relationship and agreed to<br />
<strong>de</strong>epenit.<br />
Over the last two years, Turkey<br />
and Israel have qui<strong>et</strong>ly forged a<br />
remarkable program of military cooperation;<br />
in the process, they have created<br />
what is now the most powerful<br />
military friendship in the Mi~dle.<br />
East. The relationship is continUing to<br />
<strong>de</strong>velop, improving the secl;1rityof<br />
both countries even as relatIons<br />
b<strong>et</strong>ween Israel and the Palestinians<br />
<strong>de</strong>teriorate, and as the entire region<br />
faces the rise of fundamentalist<br />
Islamic movements.<br />
In particular. the relationship can<br />
oriiy make Israeli lea<strong>de</strong>rs more confi<strong>de</strong>nt<br />
that they can take tough posi- '<br />
lions in <strong>de</strong>aling with their Arab<br />
neighbors. An alliance with Turkey<br />
could go a long way toward neutralizinK<br />
Syria. in anYmajor crisis. It could<br />
Gen. Çevik Bir to visit Israel<br />
in May following Defense<br />
Minister Tayan's footsteps<br />
Future plans: 'During Gen. Bir' s trip to<br />
Israel, both countries' <strong>de</strong>legations will discuss<br />
the military training agreement to <strong>de</strong>termine<br />
1997 plans and <strong>de</strong>tails for planned military<br />
exercises,' said a source<br />
METEHAN<br />
DEMIR<br />
Ankara- Turkish Daily News<br />
• Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Çevik Bir is to fly to<br />
Israel on May 4 with a group of 20 high-levelofficers to .<br />
hold talks with Israeli military and government officials,<br />
the Turkish Daily News has learned. Çevik Bir' s visit will<br />
occur just days after that of Defense Minister Turhan<br />
Tayan, who plans to go there on April 30.'<br />
"DuringGen. Bir's trip to Israel, both countries' <strong>de</strong>legations<br />
will discuss the military training agreement to <strong>de</strong>termine<br />
1997 plans and <strong>de</strong>tails for planned military exercises,"<br />
said a source. He reportedly will assess the Israel<br />
Aircraft Industries (lAI) plant where Turkish F-4s are<br />
being upgra<strong>de</strong>d.<br />
Gen. Bir, who last week started a tour in France to confer<br />
about Turkey's tanks, will also be briefed on Israel's '<br />
recent prop'osal to mo<strong>de</strong>rnize Turkish M-60 tanks. In addition,<br />
he wIlllisten to Israeli offers to refit 48 F-5 fighter<br />
j<strong>et</strong>s as well as plans to produce a mo<strong>de</strong>m rifle replacement<br />
for the G-3 type small arms currently used by the Turkish<br />
infantry. With its Phalcon mo<strong>de</strong>l, Israel is among the candidates<br />
hoping to be involved in Turkey's bid to buy earlywarning<br />
wrcraft (AWACS), about which a briefing is also<br />
expected.,<br />
The Turkish military has been flaying a key role in<br />
improving <strong>de</strong>fense ties with Israe from the beginning,<br />
and strongly <strong>de</strong>fends the necessity of such agreements,<br />
<strong>de</strong>spite Prime Minister Necm<strong>et</strong>tin Erbakan' s reluctance to<br />
do so.<br />
Official <strong>de</strong>fense links b<strong>et</strong>ween the two countries were<br />
launched with a military training cooperation agreement<br />
signed in February 1996, and the second arrangement came<br />
last August with a <strong>de</strong>fense industry cooperation <strong>de</strong>al.<br />
Additionally, Turkey has chosen Israel as the main contractor<br />
for the mo<strong>de</strong>rnization of 54 Turkish F-4s totalling<br />
$630 million.<br />
The military training accord that envisages the use of<br />
each other's air and sea space for pilot training sparked a<br />
row among Middle Eastern countries which feIt that<br />
Turkey was aligning itself with Israel against Syria and<br />
other Arab states. The series of agreements b<strong>et</strong>ween Israel<br />
and Turkey has also provoked harsh criticism from Muslim<br />
couD:tries who accuse Turkey of b<strong>et</strong>raying the Arab commumty.<br />
In the manpower area, 17 well-educated Turkish<br />
, '?fficen llJ'e.in.-Hebronas 8 -contribution to the peàcekeepmg<br />
force.<br />
Good fellas<br />
In recent times, Turkey and Israel have intensified relations<br />
by frequent visits, especially in the <strong>de</strong>fense field. Presi<strong>de</strong>nt<br />
238