Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the visiting Greek prime minister that he is very worried over recent developments in Turkey and increasing extremism in the country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Friday. It said the Turkish issue was central in talks between Papandreou and Netanyahu, although the two leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza.
While meeting Papandreou on Wednesday, Israeli President Shimon Peres said Israel wanted to restore its good relations with Turkey but did not understand what had happened to relations and what Turkey had against it.
Papandreou also had talks with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and opposition leader Tzipi Livni during his visit, the first at the prime ministerial level from Greece to Israel in three decades.
Relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorated sharply after Israeli commandos killed eight Turks and one American on an aid ship trying to break the blockade of Gaza on May 31. Ankara now demands an apology and an international investigation into the incident, saying that otherwise relations will not improve.
Relations between archrivals Turkey and Greece have improved drastically in the past decade but the two countries remain at odds over territorial issues in the Aegean and Cyprus.
At a joint news conference after meeting Papandreou on Thursday, Netanyahu said he pledged cooperation to Greece, which is struggling with economic difficulties. “I know how difficult economic reform can be, I want to do everything I can to improve Greece and Israel’s economic ties,” Netanyahu said. Papandreou said for his part that he hoped for stronger cooperation between the two nations in many fields.
