Israeli army chief: Dialogue with the Turks is ongoing on all military levels

Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
8 July 2010

1) Israeli army chief Ashkenazi: Dialogue with the Turks is ongoing on all military levels (6 July 2010)

2) Turkey’s President Gul to Iran: You need to be transparent about your nuclear program (2 July 2010)

3) Turkey’s PM Erdogan: European countries should support Turkey’s fight against terrorism in order to prevent acts of terrorism in other cities of Europe (23 June 2010)

4) Turkey’s army chief Basbug: NATO should maintain its nuclear capability to counter the threat of proliferation of nuclear weapons (21 June 2010)

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“Dialogue with the Turks is ongoing on all military levels, and there are also exercises. [1] The IDF [Israel Defense Forcess] and the Turkish army maintain military and security ties managed by military attaches stationed in both countries, hold mutual visits, stage joint war games and have conducted a long-running dialogue in many fields.

I participated in the Ankara conference at which the general delivered his remarks. I am certain his statements will enrich our knowledge and strengthen awareness of the importance of joining forces to combat terrorism in all its forms.” [2]

[1] [Israeli army chief Gabi Ashkenazi, briefing to Israeli Parliament Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, 6 July 2010]

[2] [Israeli army chief  Gabi Ashkenazi, prologue to Turkey’s army chief Ilker Basbug’s opening speech at NATO’s “Global Terrorism and International Cooperation-III” conference (Ankara, 15 March 2010), official Israel Defense Forces (IDF) magazine “Maarachot”, June 2010]


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“First of all, we are a strong ally of the West. We proved this in the past and now. […] Today we are in Afghanistan – almost 2,000 soldiers are there. We took command of [NATO’s] Isaf [force] twice. […] We are all together – fighting with terrorism, fighting radicalism, fighting al-Qaeda and others.

We are clearly against weapons of mass destruction in this region. Of course we don’t want to see any – not with our neighbours or in the region. This is very clear. We are telling Iran – look, you are part of the IAEA [the International Atomic Energy Agency] and part of the NPT [Non Proliferation Treaty]. You get help from them for nuclear energy. You need to be trans-parent to them. You have responsibilities. We tell them this very clearly. […]

We don’t want war. It happened in Iraq and the consequences affected us very badly security-wise, economy-wise. So we suffered, not only Iraqis. So therefore this should be solved in a diplomatic way.” [3]

[Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul, interviewed by The Times, 2 July 2010]

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“Security of Europe, particularly the Balkans, starts from Hakkari, Semdinli (*). You should know that security of Balkan and European countries can not be restored before security is restored in Semdinli. Turkey should be given a strong support in its fight against [the PKK] terrorism in order to prevent acts of terrorism in other cities of Europe. [4]  Just like we fulfilled our responsibilities with what happened after 9/11, every NATO member country must stand by us in our effort.” [5]

[4] [Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speech at the luncheon hosted in honour of participant leaders of the Summit Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP), Istanbul, 23 June 2010]

[5] [Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Charlie Rose Show interview, PBS channel, 28 June 2010]


(*) Located at the farthest corner of southeastern Turkey, the Semdinli district of Hakkari province is bordering both Iran and Iraq.


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“I believe that Article V of the Washington Treaty (*) , based on the indivisibility of the Alliance security, should remain a cornerstone of the Alliance. […]

The development of a new strategic concept offers NATO the opportunity to determine in principle when, where, how, and why it needs to act proactively rather than simply responding in a reactive manner as new problems arise.

The threat associated with proliferation of nuclear weapons makes the world even more dangerous. That is why it is so important that NATO maintains a “nuclear culture” and that this should be reflected as explicitly as possible in the new Strategic Concept.” [6]

[Turkey’s army chief Ilker Basbug, opening speech at NATO’s Silk Road-2010 Flag Officers Seminar, Canakkale, Turkey, 21 June 2010]


(*) Article 5 of The North Atlantic Treaty (1949) states that an attack on any North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member country is an attack on all of NATO.


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notes:


[1] IDF chief: Military ties with Turkey intact

by Attila Somfalvi, Ynetnews, 6 July 2010

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3915905,00.html


[2]  IDF journal runs essay by Turkey army chief, despite Gaza flotilla row

by Amos Harel, Haaretz, 5 July 2010

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/idf-journal-runs-essay-by-turkey-army-chief-despite-gaza-flotilla-row-1.300029


[3]  Interview with President Abdullah Gül: ‘Turkey is part of the West’

by Martin Fletcher, The Times, 2 July 2010

http://www.tccb.gov.tr/common/iframes/Haberler/HaberArsiv/EnHaberDetay.aspx?id=1968&dil=en


[4]  Erdogan says Europe’s security starts from Turkey’s Southeast

Anadolu Agency, 23 June 2010

http://www.aa.com.tr/en/erdogan-says-europes-security-starts-from-turkeys-southeast.html


[5]  [Interview with] Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The Charlie Rose website, 28 June 2010

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/11091#frame_top


[6] Opening remarks by General Ilker Basbug Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces on the occasion of Silk Road-2010 Seminar (21 June 2010)

Turkish General Staff website, 21 June 2010

http://www.tsk.tr/eng/konusma/gnkurbsk_ipekyolusemineri_21062010.htm

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related links:


Turkey’s Foreign Minister to Iran: You must show that you are acting transparently (23 April 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/turkey-to-iran-you-must-show-that-you-are-acting-transparently/


Turkey’s Prime Minister: I don’t think new sanctions against Iran can bring results (6 April 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/turkey%E2%80%99-prime-minister-i-don%E2%80%99t-think-new-sanctions-against-iran-can-bring-results/


Once again, a CSIS report designates Turkey as the optimum route for a possible Israeli attack on Iran (30 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/once-again-a-csis-report-designates-turkey-as-the-optimum-route-for-a-possible-israeli-attack-on-iran/


Turkey’s President Gul: Iran’s ultimate aspiration is to acquire nuclear weapons (29 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/turkey%E2%80%99s-president-gul-iran%E2%80%99s-ultimate-aspiration-is-to-acquire-nuclear-weapons/


NATO chief: Iran’s Shahab-3 missiles will put Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria within reach (27 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/nato-chief-weapons-of-mass-destruction-threat-is-real-and-growing/


US official: Turkey has international responsibilities that extend beyond its immediate neighbourhood (18 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/us-official-turkey-has-international-responsibilities-that-extend-beyond-its-immediate-neighbourhood/


Israeli army chief visits Turkey to hold talks on Iran’s nuclear program (16 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/israeli-army-chief-visits-turkey-to-hold-talks-on-iran%E2%80%99s-nuclear-program/


Israeli minister warns Turkey: Iran’s nuclear programme would pose a danger for the whole world (November 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/israeli-minister-to-turkey-iran%E2%80%99s-nuclear-programme-would-pose-a-danger-for-the-whole-world/


Pentagon offers Patriot missiles to Turkey (September 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/obama-president-bush-was-right-that-irans-ballistic-missile-program-poses-a-significant-threat/


US Ambassador to Turkey: Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is a great danger to Turkey (June 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/us-ambassador-iran%E2%80%99s-pursuit-of-nuclear-weapons-is-a-great-danger-to-turkey/


Obama: No one in the Middle East is served by Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, least of all Turkey (April 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/obama-irans-nuclear-and-ballistic-missile-activity-poses-a-real-threat-to-its-neighbors/

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