Jerusalem, 30 April 1997
DEFENSE MINISTER MORDECHAI'S MEETING WITH TURKISH DM TAYAN
(Communicated by Defense Minister's Media Coordinator)
"Security cooperation between Israel and Turkey is not directed against
any third party. We place great importance on the developing and
strengthening relations between our two countries; this cooperation is
essential to both countries and to strengthening stability in the Middle
East," Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai told Turkish Defense Minister
Turhan Tayan today (Wednesday), 30.4.97, during a working meeting at the
Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.
The Turkish defense minister arrived today for his first visit to Israel
as the guest of Mr. Mordechai, and was received by an honor guard.
Defense Minister Mordechai briefed Mr. Tayan on the government's efforts
to advance the peace process and its assessment of the threats facing the
region foremost among them the missile threat, non-conventional weapons
and terrorism. He told the Turkish minister both Israel and Turkey suffer
from the problem of terrorism, and that Israel according to its
declared policy would be prepared to assist Turkey with know-how and in
other ways, in fighting terrorism.
Mordechai promised his guest that Israel would do everything possible to
strengthen general and security ties with Turkey. "Both our countries are
free, peace-loving democracies and cooperation between us is very
important for stability in the Middle East," he said.
The defense minister briefed Mr. Tayan on his initiative to hold joint
defensive training between Israeli, Turkish and U.S. forces. This
initiative was also raised by Defense Minister Mordechai in talks with
senior defense officials in the United States and with the Turkish chief
of staff.
Ministers Mordechai and Tayan agreed that Turkey's deputy chief of staff,
who is scheduled to arrive in Israel for talks next week, would discuss
this subject with his Israeli counterparts.
Defense Minister Tayan noted that there have been good relations between
Israel and Turkey for many years. He expressed unqualified support for
strengthening and deepening security ties between Israel and Turkey,
saying, "Our cooperation is not directed against a third party. Turkey
ascribes great importance to these relations, and I believe that
cooperation between us will contribute to regional stability and advance
the peace process."
Mr. Tayan said that the two countries share certain areas of concern, such
as terrorism. "There cannot be, and we will never accept, any excuse or
explanation for acts of terror," he said. Both ministers expressed concern
over the arms race in the Middle East and the current efforts to develop
surface-to-surface missiles and non-conventional weapons.
Also present in the working meeting between the two ministers were the IDF
chief of staff, the defense minister's senior adviser David Ivry, the
director general of the Defense Ministry, the head of Military
Intelligence, the head of the IDF Planning Branch and others.
The head of Military Intelligence briefed Mr. Tayan on the current
situation in the Middle East and on the main threats in the region. The
head of Planning Branch discussed the structure of the IDF and its
response to threats.