Israeli Ambassador Sultan: Musul-Haifa Is a Pipe Dream

Sultan said that the United States and Israel have had no contact on the matter and added: "Even if there were such a project, it would only be realized after a comprehensive peace. What matters is realizing it not in theory but in practice. It should be scrutinized well."

In a reference to economic relations between Turkey and Israel, Sultan stated that the volume of trade had increased 20 percent over last year, equivalent to $1.2 billion.

Sultan assessed recent events in the region following the Iraq war and the "road map" for Israeli-Palestinian peace developed in parallel with those events.

While reacting to the possibility of Israel’s contribution to Iraq’s reconstruction with a "Why not?" Sultan said that the United States had not received any request from Israel in that regard. Referring to the road map for peace in Israel, the ambassador said: "If they keep their promise against terrorism, it will be sufficient for us to work with the Palestinian government. We took each step after completing the prior one. We hope it will be the same and that no insistence on time will be forced upon us. It is seen as a phase that is followed step by step on the road map as well."

Salih Boztas / Ankara / TURKEY