Israel Matzav

Did Turkey stop Israel from opening a NATO office

Sorry about the long break. I went to Target (one of my big haunts here) on the way home from dinner last night, stayed there until closing, and came back exhausted. No, Mrs. Carl, I didn't buy too many things.

Sunday's Daily Zaman in Turkey reported that Turkey vetoed an Israeli request to open a NATO office in Brussels in the spring.

Davutoğlu revealed in an interview with Turkish CNN TURK broadcaster on Sunday that Turkey threatened to veto a move by Israel to open a NATO office in Brussels while Turkish officials say Turkey’s decision to veto may change according to political circumstances.

Turkey earlier vowed that it will pursue every kind of opportunity in international platforms to squeeze Israel after the ties between the two former allies badly damaged following the Mavi Marmara incident last year which left nine Turkish civilians dead.

In 1994, NATO launched an initiative to establish partnership with non-NATO member Mediterranean countries, including Israel.

Israel, through the help and coordination of the US, made an attempt to open the NATO office in Brussels earlier this year and Turkey threatened to veto Israel’s move in NATO’s foreign ministers meeting in Berlin on April 14-15. Turkish officials then said in current conditions, Turkey won’t approve Israel to open the office and veto it if Tel-Aviv officially applies.

Israel then stepped back from opening the office after Turkey’s response.

Turkish diplomatic sources told Today’s Zaman that Turkey’s decision to veto Israel is not permanent and that it could be change according to political circumstances.

But the JPost reports that the Israeli NATO office is still on the table.

But Israeli officials involved in relations with NATO said that the option of opening an office at NATO headquarters in Brussels was “realistic” and was currently under consideration within the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry.

“We do not know of any veto or of the possibility that one country can veto an offer that was made by NATO,” one government official said.

In recent years, Israel has significantly boosted its cooperation with NATO and regularly participates in workshops and seminars organized by the western military alliance and member countries. In 2010, the Israel Navy and NATO signed an agreement to deploy a missile ship with Active Endeavour, a NATO mission to patrol the Mediterranean Sea and prevent terror and weapons smuggling.

Israeli is also seeking to receive an upgraded status following the conclusion of a Strategic Concept review the military alliance is currently conducting that will enable Israeli officials to participate in top NATO forums even though Israel is not a member of the alliance but is a member of the Mediterranean Dialogue, which was created in 1994 to foster ties with Middle Eastern countries like Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco

Earlier this year, NATO extended invitations to all of the countries involved in the Mediterranean Dialogue and other non-membership forums to open offices at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Defense officials said that the offer was still relevant and that it was being “positively considered” by the government. It is still unclear what the rank of the Foreign Ministry or Defense Ministry official will be who would man the mission if established.

“We could gain from having an office in NATO headquarters which could eventually lead to a more significant increase in cooperation,” one defense official said.

Maybe Israel should open the office and see if the Turks quit in protest. Heh.

Labels: Mediterranean dialogue, NATO, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:21 PM