Israel, Turkey to hold another round of talks to mend ties

PanARMENIAN.Net - Having failed to resolve their differences during three-day talks this week, Turkey and Israel will hold another round of negotiations later this month in New York, Hürriyet Daily News reported.

“The talks are expected to be concluded in late July,” said Özdem Sanberk, the Turkish member of the UN panel investigating the Israeli raid on the aid ship Mavi Marmara.

The schedule of the next round of negotiations is not set yet but the talks will take place in New York, said Sanberk. “There has been no change in the negotiating team.” Turkey was represented in this week’s talks by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Ambassador Mithat Rende and Sanberk.

The UN panel, which includes two international experts as well as Turkish and Israeli representatives, is expected to submit its report to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon before July 27. The two countries’ officials are supposed to resolve the deadlock by that time.

Both Turkey and Israel see a window of opportunity to mend fences amid the regional unrest.

Observers say a compromise will benefit both sides, increasing Ankara’s leverage as a UN vote on Palestinian statehood looms in September and expanding its room to maneuver in regional peace mediation efforts.