Azernews.Az

The U.S. State Department is pleased with the initial steps taken within the Turkey-Israel rapprochement, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said at a daily press briefing on Wednesday.

"U.S. President asked Secretary Kerry to continue to work with both parties to try to strengthen that initial warming, to try to deepen it into a full normalization, not only in the interest of our two allies but in the interest of all of the challenges that they share and that we share with them in that neighbourhood," she said.

Nuland said that by going to Istanbul first to see Turkish officials and then going on to Israel, the Secretary will also have an opportunity to spur both sides to continue to take steps to deepen their normalization and to work well together.

The agreement on normalization of relations between Turkey and Israel was reached in March after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, apologized for violations committed during the maritime operation that resulted in the deaths of Turkish citizens.

The government heads agreed to restore normal relations including the return of ambassadors and Turkey's refusal to legally prosecute Israeli servicemen.