LIVNI, TURKISH FM MEET FOR FIRST TIME SINCE GAZA OP
Roni Sofer Published

Ynetnews
March 6 2009
Israel

Foreign minister arrives at NATO meeting in Brussels with goal of
warming cooled ties; two ministers agree on importance of continued
political cooperation

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met on Thursday with her Turkish
counterpart, Ali Babacan, for the first time this year, after Israel’s
Operation Cast Lead in Gaza led to tensions between the two countries.

The two foreign ministers, who met in Brussels, agreed on continued
political contact between Israel and Turkey at all levels and stressed
that the two nations share strategic interests.

Livni’s decision to fly to the Belgian capital to participate in
a meeting of NATO foreign ministers was motivated by the desire to
assuage tensions with Turkey. Tentative contact had been made prior
to Thursday’s meeting to this effect.

Leaders in Jerusalem and Ankara had been anxious to ensure tensions
between the two countries would not harm the significant financial
and security-related cooperation taking place between them.

Turkey, desirous of a place in the European Union, was anxious not
to have a falling out with Israel while the latter, who relies on
Turkey as a mediator with the Syrians, also hoped for ameliorated ties.

Tensions surrounding the Gaza operation came to a head in late January,
when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a public spat
with President Shimon Peres, which ended with him walking off stage
at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Later, in mid-February, Erdogan publicly expressed his doubts regarding
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s credibility, calling his statements
"inconsistent" and criticizing Olmert’s decision not to brief him
on Operation Cast Lead, despite the fact that the two met just days
before its start.