Turkey: Flotilla raid thwarted any chance of Israel-Syria talks
FM Davutoglu tells CNN scheduled meeting with Netanyahu in Washington to discuss relaunching indirect Jerusalem-Damascus negotiations was called off due to commando raid. 'Our problem is not with Israelis or Jews, but with the Israeli government's policy of collective punishment,' he says
WASHINGTON - Turkey said last week's deadly raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla prevented any chance of jumpstarting the indirect talks between Israel and Syria with Ankara's mediation.
In an interview with US network CNN, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of another round of indirect talks between Israeli and Syrian representatives, but the meeting was called off due to the raid.
Another round of talks was cancelled after Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza late last year.
According to Davutoglu, Ankara "was given Syria's authorization, but on Monday they attacked the civilian ship and destroyed any chance for negotiations in our region."
The Prime Minister's Office denied Davutoglu's claim of a scheduled meeting with Netanyahu and said, "Since its inception the Israeli government has been calling on Syria to immediately enter peace talks without preconditions."
The Turkish FM said he was disappointed by Netanyahu's decision to reject UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's recommendation to establish an international commission of inquiry into Israel's raid, which would be headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer, an expert on maritime law. Committee members would include representatives from the United States, Turkey and Israel.
Davutoglu said that Turkey's prime minister had agreed to the proposal, and that Israel's rejection was proof that it was not confident it will be able to "cope with the facts."
The Turkish FM said Ankara's demand for an international commission of inquiry has nothing to do with its deteriorating ties with Jerusalem, but rather with "the problem Israel has with the international community and with international law."
"Why were nine of our citizens killed in international waters?" Davutoglu said while also expressing his disappointment with the Obama Administration's efforts to thwart an international investigation into the incident.
During the interview, Davutoglu dismissed the possibility that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would take part in a flotilla to Gaza, but did not rule out the severing of ties between Ankara and Jerusalem, saying it depended on Israel's "response."
The Turkish FM added that he had no problem with Jews or Israelis. "Israeli tourists feel at home in Turkey. We have a problem with the Israeli government and its policy of collective punishment and attacks on civilians in international waters. When they will be ready to return to the negotiation table, Turkey will be willing to work with any government in Israel," he said.
Davutoglu also denied that IHH, which organized the flotilla to Gaza, is a terrorist organization. "If Israel has the name of a terrorist who took part in the sail they should send it to us and we will look into it," he said.
Earlier, during a speech he delivered at the meeting of the executive board of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Turkish FM said the goal of the flotilla was to provide necessary aid to the people living under Israel's blockade.
"Israeli defense units attacked ships in international waters 72 miles off the Israeli coast. The ships were carrying food and medicine. Nine Turkish citizens died and many others were wounded," he said.
"Israeli commandos came on board the ships without permission and ships were taken to Ashdod Port. Passengers were detained. Israel's act includes several crimes, including piracy, murder and kidnapping. It is state terrorism," Davutoglu said, adding that the flotilla raid was Turkey's "September 11."
Roni Sofer contributed to the report
