Turkish Forum

Tag: Peres

  • President: Israel must reconcile with Turkey

    President: Israel must reconcile with Turkey

    Shimon Peres 250909Azerbaijan, Baku, July 2 / Trend A.Tagiyeva /

    Israeli President Shimon Peres said Israel is interested in improvement of the relations with Turkey, especially at a time of the country’s political isolation.

    “We highly value relations with Turkey. The sooner the relations recover, the better for us,” Peres said in an interview with the Turkish newspaper “Haberturk”.

    He also expressed his dissatisfaction about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, accusing them of dishonesty.

    Relations between Turkey and Israel – the two strategic and military partners- worsened after Israeli naval attacks on the “Flotilla of Freedom” carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31. Nine Turks became the victims of the confrontation of the Israeli soldiers and international human rights activists in the Turkish ship ‘Mavi Marmara’. Following this, Ankara filed some requirements to Israel in connection with the incident around the ‘Flotilla of Freedom’, particularly: Israeli government’s official apology, an independent international investigation and compensation.

    via President: Israel must reconcile with Turkey | Politics | Trend.

  • Transcript of Peres’ phone call to Erdogan

    Transcript of Peres’ phone call to Erdogan

    Turkish media outlets reported that Peres had apologized to Erdogan during their five-minute phone conversation, but Peres’ office denied the report, saying that the purpose of the telephone call was simply to ensure that the “crisis won’t deteriorate.”

    The following is a transcript of the phone conversation between the two leaders, issued by Turkey’s state-run Anatolian Agency on Friday:

    Peres: Such things happen between friends. I am very sorry for today’s incident. Firstly, my respect towards the Turkish republic and you a prime minister has never changed.

    Erdogan: Firstly, of course. There is no doubt that such arguments can happen between friends. But nobody can even speak to a tribe leader so loudly and in front of the international community, and not to the leader of the Republic of Turkey.

    Peres: I raised my voice. In fact my friends tell me that I have a quite voice. This has nothing to do with my relationship with the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey. I am very sorry for what happened today.

    Erdogan: I heard that you are going to hold a press conference.

    Peres: Not today, but tomorrow.

    Erdogan: If you express these sincere feelings, which I believe you will, in tomorrow’s press conference, I assume this problem will be mostly overcome.

    Peres: Of course I will publicly express these remarks.

    Erdogan: Thank you very much for your call Mr. President.

    Peres: I thank you and wish you a nice flight.

    Source: AA (Turkey), Haaretz (Israel), January 30, 2009