Top US military brass in Israel for talks

The top US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, on Sunday held talks in Tel Aviv with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and other members of the military's top brass, officials said.

A US embassy spokesman said Mullen, who was paying a flying visit to Israel, was also meeting Israeli Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi and senior military officials.

Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also to meet Ashkenazi's deputy, Benny Ganz, and navy chief Eliezer Marom for talks on "cooperation between the two militaries and on mutual security challenges," a statement from the military said.

Defence officials quoted by the Jerusalem Post said Mullen's meetings would focus on Iran's nuclear programme and the situation in Syria and Lebanon.

They would also discuss the deterioration in relations between Israel and Turkey in the wake of the disastrous May 31 naval raid on a Gaza-bound aid fleet which left nine Turkish activists dead, the paper said.

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