Turkey says Israel not keeping todefense deals

Turkey's prime minister accused Israelon Wednesday of failing to meet its obligations in defense deals, adding totensions with Israel which have escalated since an Israeli raid on a Gaza-boundflotilla killed nine people last year.

Turkey last week expelled top Israelidiplomats, suspended all military deals and vowed to step up Turkish navypatrols in the eastern Mediterranean, angered over its former ally's refusal toapologize for the raid that killed eight Turks and one Turkish-American.

Turkey also promised to lobby forsupport for the Palestinians' bid for state recognition at the United Nationsand warned that more sanctions against Israel could follow.

Asked to comment on Turkey's decisionto suspend defense industry deals, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan toldreporters Israel wasn't keeping to the terms of defense agreements, accusing itof not returning drones that Turkey had bought from Israel and sent back formaintenance.

"They are not loyal toagreements between us in the defense industry," Erdogan said. "Theremight be problems, you may not be speaking to each other, but you have tofulfill your responsibility under international agreements."

Turkey has purchased 10 Heron dronesfrom Israel, following the lease of a number of unmanned spy planes from thecountry. It was not clear how many of the drones are in Israel for maintenance.

Turkey uses the drones to spy onKurdish rebels, who maintain bases in northern Iraq, and have escalated theirattacks on Turkish troops and police officers lately.

Turkey's sanctions against Israel —once a top military trading partner — follows a U.N. report into the flotillaraid, which accuses Israel of using excessive force, but also describesIsrael's blockade of Gaza as legitimate.

Turkey has rejected the report, whileIsrael accepted it with some reservations.

Israel has expressed regret for theloss of lives aboard the flotilla but has refused to apologize saying itsforces acted in self-defense. It has also said it was time for the twocountries to restore their former close ties.

But Erdogan said Wednesday Turkey wasdetermined to keep up its stance toward Israel at any cost.

"We don't care if it costs $15million or $150 million," Erdogan said. "We will not allow anyone towalk all over our honor."

Erdogan reiterated that Turkey wasplanning possible new sanctions against Israel, but refused to disclose whatthey could entail. He said Turkey intended to increase the Turkish navy'ssurveillance of the eastern Mediterranean, adding that parts of it wereTurkey's "exclusive economic zones."

"Until now, they were runningwild in (the eastern Mediterranean). From now on, we will see Turkish shipsmore often especially in our exclusive economic zones," Erdogan said."All the pros and cons of this have been calculated. We were present inthese waters in the past, we are present today and we will continue to bepresent tomorrow."

Turkey's main opposition hascriticized Turkey's plans to increase navy patrols in the easternMediterranean, saying it could lead to a confrontation between Turkey andIsrael.

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