Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan: No Quick Restoration of Ties With Israel [View all]

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Source: Associated Press

By SUZAN FRASER Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey March 24, 2013 (AP)

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested "normalization" of ties with Israel would take time, hinting that Turkey wanted to ensure the victims of a flotilla raid were compensated and Israel remained committed to the easing of restrictions of goods to Gaza before relations are restored between the two nations.

Erdogan's comments on Sunday came days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Turkish leader to apologize for the botched raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010 that killed eight Turks and one Turkish-American. Erdogan accepted the apology and both leaders said they would begin the work of restoring full relations.

But in a public address Sunday, Erdogan suggested there would be no quick restoration of ties.

"We have said: 'an apology will be made, compensation will be paid and the blockade on Palestine will be lifted. There will be no normalization without these," he said. "Normalization will happen the moment there is an implementation. But if there is no implementation, then I am sorry."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkeys-erdogan-hints-normalization-of-ties-with-israel-will-take-time/2013/03/24/668dd586-948c-11e2-95ca-dd43e7ffee9c_story.html