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Spat should not affect Turkey ties, Peres says

by Dave Keating | January 30, 2009 at 03:39 am

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Yesterday's uncomfortable spat between Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos will not affect relations between the two counries, Peres said today. Erdogan became incensed during a discussion about the Gaza invasion when he left he was cut off. He then berated the Israeli president before storming off the stage.

Israeli President Shimon Peres said Friday he hoped relations with Turkey would not be affected by a heated exchange he had with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at the World Economic Forum.

Erdogan stormed out of a debate in Davos Thursday at which Peres defended Israel's Gaza offensive and, with a raised voice and pointed finger, questioned what Erdogan would do if rockets were fired at Istanbul every night.

"We don't want conflict with Turkey. We are in a conflict with the Palestinians," Peres told reporters at the annual gathering of businessmen and political leaders in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.

Peres said he had spoken to Erdogan by telephone after the debate, in which United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League leader Amr Moussa also participated.

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ByRevolver

at 03:55 on January 30th, 2009

İsviçre Davos'ta yapılan bir oturumda Başbakan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, İsrail Cumhurbaşkanı Şimon Peres'e çok sert bir çıkış yaptı. İsrail'in Gazze saldırısı hakkında son derece "açık" ifadeler kullanan Başbakan Erdoğan, "Siz öldürmeyi çok iyi bilirsiniz" dedi. Erdoğan, oturum yöneticisini de kendisine kısa süre vermekle eleştirdi ve "Davos benim için bitmiştir" diyerek, paneli terketti

ByRevolver has contributed a photo to this story.

tikun

at 05:43 on January 30th, 2009

Turkey has much to lose from poor relations with Israel. They are large trading partners and tourism from Israel WAS huge. Now almost no one is setting foot in the country after the harsh words from the Turkish PM. It appears that his real motives are not the Gaza war but Israel not giving him a heads-up prior to the invasion. He publicly stated how pissed, my words, he was and his honor was trashed. In the end it all comes down to EGO.

Uwe Paschen

at 06:08 on January 30th, 2009

Israel seems to make more enemies by the day. Maybe more then it and the US can handle.

tikun

at 11:14 on January 30th, 2009

I am pushing this incredible "impartial" movie a trailer on the web site called Farewell Israel. An amazing researched piece that traces Islam to the present and its relationship with the west and Israel. This movie has received wonderful reviews and is NOT a propaganda movie.

http://farewellisrael.com/home.html

tikun

at 11:17 on January 30th, 2009

Israel is not making more enemies. It has always had many enemies even before it became a State. Gaza war just gave them an opportunity to come out of the closet and scream again before they go on to something else. Like killing Armenians, Tibetans, Blacks in Darfur, Christians in Gaza and the West Bank, and on and on and on.