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-Rivista Stampa-Dentro<br />
Turkey<br />
missile<br />
and Israel to<br />
project<br />
cooperate<br />
<strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basm Öz<strong>et</strong>i<br />
on new<br />
• D<strong>et</strong>ails of the enormous new project will be discussed during the upcoming visit of a Turkish<br />
<strong>de</strong>legation to Israel next month<br />
M<strong>et</strong>ehan Demir<br />
20 April, 1998, Copyright (Ç) Turkish Daily News<br />
Ankara - In an unexpected <strong>de</strong>velopment, Turkey and Israel have <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>d to work on a new joint project to<br />
produce medium-range <strong>de</strong>fensive ~ssiles afte~ the Unite? S,tates looked askance a~earl~e.rTel Avi~-An~ara<br />
plans to inclu<strong>de</strong> Turkey in the Amencan-IsraelI Arrow lTIlsslle<strong>de</strong>velopment, a semor mIlItary OffiCIalSaId.<br />
"During the recent Turkish-Israeli annual <strong>de</strong>fense me<strong>et</strong>ing held in Ankara at the end March, Israeli <strong>de</strong>fense<br />
officials told us that the United States was <strong>de</strong>eply disturbed upon hearing of plans including Turkey in the<br />
Arrow missile <strong>de</strong>velopment," said the military official.<br />
"Therefore, Israel and Turkey <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>d to work on a new project which would be similar to the Arrow<br />
missile, which would have a range of approximately 150 kilom<strong>et</strong>ers, but its name and specifications would<br />
be different," he said.<br />
The <strong>de</strong>tails of the enormous new project will be discussed during the upcoming visit of a Turkish<br />
<strong>de</strong>legation to Israel next month. Turkey has suffered from a lack of such <strong>de</strong>fensive missiles in its arsenal,<br />
and concerns have been raised following Iran and Syria's efforts to increase their missile capacities,<br />
believed to be targ<strong>et</strong>ing Turkey and Israel.<br />
Earlier. there had been Turkish-Israeli plans that envisaged involving Ankara in the Arrow missile program<br />
being <strong>de</strong>veloped by Israel and the United States. But Washington has long been keeping Turkey on a list of<br />
countries un<strong>de</strong>r the Missile Control Regime Systems concept which closes acquisition avenues to certain<br />
countries interested in buying missiles from European countries and the United States.<br />
In March, a group of 30 Israeli <strong>de</strong>fense officials visited Turkey to increase current <strong>de</strong>fense industry<br />
cooperation b<strong>et</strong>ween the two countries, the third annual gathering of key <strong>de</strong>fense officials from both si<strong>de</strong>s.<br />
The Arrow missiles were one of the key issues discussed during the me<strong>et</strong>ing.<br />
Meanwhile, the recent cooperation b<strong>et</strong>ween Turkey and Israel has drawn the reproach of Middle Eastern<br />
countries like Egypt, Iran and Syria, who claim that this partnership is seriously damaging the strategic<br />
balance of power in the region.<br />
Israel is currently upgrading 54 Turkish F-4 Phantoms in a <strong>de</strong>al worth $632 million and recently won a bid<br />
to upgra<strong>de</strong> 48 Turkish F-5s Tigers for $80 million. Israel also sold night-vision systems to Turkey last<br />
year.<br />
In an earlier missile project, the two countries signed a memorandum of un<strong>de</strong>rstanding for the joint<br />
production of hundreds of Popeye II missiles. The final agreement, which is expected to be conclu<strong>de</strong>d<br />
soon, will s<strong>et</strong> production conditions for the 150-kilom<strong>et</strong>er-range Popeye II missile. This is the advanced<br />
version of the Popeye I which is currently being used on F-16's and F-4's. MIKES will produce data-links<br />
for the Popeye II missiles, while another Turkish firm, Rok<strong>et</strong>san, will produce the ignition system and<br />
components. Israel's Rafael is to provi<strong>de</strong> the technology.<br />
Turkeyalso earlier <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>d to buy 200 Popeye I missiles from Israel, the <strong>de</strong>liveries of which started at the<br />
end of last year.<br />
The <strong>de</strong>fense links b<strong>et</strong>ween Turkey and Israel were launched with a military training cooperation agreement<br />
signed in February, 1996. The second agreement came in August, 1996 with a <strong>de</strong>fense industry<br />
cooperation <strong>de</strong>al. The military training accord involved reciprocal naval visits, the sending of <strong>de</strong>legations to<br />
military aca<strong>de</strong>mies and the use of each other's airspace and seas for pilot training.<br />
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