Turkish FM ready to resign if opposition to prove his alleged secret talks with Israel
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is ready to resign and quit politics if the Turkish opposition is able to prove his secret negotiations and signing of agreements with Israel in Qatar, Davutoglu said in an interview with SKY Türk 360 TV channel.
"Let the opposition prove my secret negotiations and signing of secret agreements with Israel in Qatar. If they do it, then I am ready to resign and quit politics," Davutoglu said.
He stressed that Israel's apology was achieved only with the help of successful diplomacy of Turkey and pressure on Israel.
Next week, the Israeli delegation will visit Ankara to discuss the issue of compensation to the families of deceased members of "Freedom Flotilla."
Interception of "Freedom Flotilla" - six ships loaded with humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, by Israeli military in May 2010, seriously complicated the relations between Israel and Turkey, who earlier closely cooperated in the military-political sphere. During the operation, Israeli Special Forces killed nine Turks - the members of the Freedom Flotilla. Turkish authorities demanded Israel official apology for the attack, and pay compensation to the families of the victims.
The agreement on normalisation of relations between Turkey and Israel was reached last Friday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, apologised for violations committed during the maritime operation that resulted in the deaths of Turkish citizens.
The government heads had agreed to restore normal relations including the return of ambassadors and Turkey's refusal to legally prosecute Israeli servicemen.