ANKARA, Turkey, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A recent Israel-U.S. defense accord on arms exports to third countries may complicate Israeli arms exports to Turkey.
The Turkish Daily News reported that the agreement signed on Aug. 16 by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Washington and Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz in Israel is intended to remove misunderstandings between the allies over Israel's arms sales, particularly to China, which is seen by the Bush administration as a potential future strategic rival. Under the terms of the agreement Israel will inform the United States of all its future arms export plans while taking "Washington's position into account."
Turkish officials have no comment on the U.S.-Israeli agreement but some Turkish analysts note a number of drawbacks for future Turkish deals with Israeli companies. One analyst speaking on background said, "Although the agreement's apparent target is China its not very good news for Turkish procurement from Israel, either."
"Since the mid-1990s, when the two countries began to develop their strategic partnership, Turkey has seen Israel as a good alternative to Western suppliers in terms of defense equipment acquisition. The Turks thought that if you negotiate a deal well and pay the price, you could buy almost anything from Israel, unlike the case with the United States," he said.
During the past decade Turkey has encountered difficulties with the U.S. government over export licenses and technology transfers on several defense deals, and Washington has occasionally refused to sell some critical equipment to it.
