Obama calls on Turkey to reduce its tensions with Israel
The Obama administration tries to maintain ties with Turkey, a growing economic and military power in the region has shown its support for opposition movements in countries like Libya or Syria. However, the United States and Turkey have conflicting positions regarding Israel, a country with which Ankara has a degree of tension because of the Israeli navy attack against Freedom Flotilla in international waters in 2010, attack that killed nine Turkish civilians. Tel Aviv has refused to apologize for the attack and to compensate families of victims.
"The president (Obama) has underlined its interest in the matter is resolved between the two countries and called for further efforts in that direction," said the White House counsel Serwhood-Randall Liz. For its part, the Deputy Minister of National Security of the White House, Ben Rhodes, Obama has indicated that these same points to expose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during their meeting on Wednesday.
Obama and Erdogan also discussed the situation in Syria, where the troops of President Bashar al-Assad, continues its crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the country. Both leaders agreed that there is a need to increase the pressure on the Syrian leader agreed to consult on possible decisions "as sanctions, political pressure and other measures," said Rhodes.
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
On the other hand, Obama has condemned the bomb attack that killed at least three dead on Tuesday in Ankara during his meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the meeting of the UN General Assembly. "This reminds us that terrorism exists in many parts of the world, and Turkey and the United States will be strong allies in the prevention of terrorism," said Obama.
At least three civilians have died and fifteen people were injured – five of them seriously – by the explosion of a bomb in a minibus in the heart of Ankara, according to a balance of the authorities.
Five people have died on Tuesday after an alleged attack by the Workers Party of Kurdistan (PKK) against a police academy in the Turkish province of Siirt, in the southeast. The rebels attacked with rocket launchers facilities security forces. One of the bullets hit the car carrying four of the victims, who were heading to a wedding, while a fifth person, a suspected PKK militant died in a shootout later.
Erdogan has indicated that both countries need to "work together in planning and using technology to further steps in efforts to combat terrorism." Ankara is in talks with Washington to provide a basis for a fleet of U.S. drone until now stationed in Iraq. These aircraft will be involved in surveillance operations troops PKK.
