ID :
158248
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 11:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/158248
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-U.S.-TURKEY: FLOTILLA RAID REPORT
-U.S. state spokesman says Turkey's report independent, credible
WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) - Philip Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, on Wednesday described a report released by Turkey on Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla as "independent and credible."
"Both [Turkey and Israel] are doing what they can to help contribute to a fuller understanding of what happened during this incident last year [...] I'm saying that Turkey – it is an independent, credible report. I'm not challenging either one," Crowley told reporters at a daily press briefing.
The spokesman last Monday said an Israeli report on the flotilla incident was "transparent and independent."
Crowley said the Turkish National Commission of Inquiry last September submitted its interim report to the UN Secretary General's panel of inquiry, adding that both Turkey and Israel had worked "seriously and responsibly to get at the facts, and both have made important contributions to the work of the Secretary General's panel."
"We look forward to the process continuing at the United Nations within the Secretary General's Panel of Inquiry, which will give the international community the opportunity to fully review the circumstances surrounding this incident. And we look forward to a full examination of facts and perspectives from all sides," he said.
Crowley said relations with both Turkey and Israel were of "equal importance" to the U.S., adding, "they are both close friends of the United States. They have a relationship that has been important bilaterally and to the region, and we hope that both countries will continue to seek opportunities to move beyond the recent strains in their own bilateral relations."
Crowley said the U.S. recognized the importance the relationship between Turkey and Israel, adding that both countries exerted efforts to find ways to resolve the dispute.
"We hope that can be done, because this relationship has very significant meaning, both in terms of our respective relations with these two countries, but more importantly, Turkey has been a significant player in helping to resolve issues in the region related to the pursuit of Middle East peace. And we would hope that in the future that effort can continue," he said.
"Given the incident and the circumstances, I don't think that we're surprised that there are differing views of what transpired. That is expressly why we support the UN panel so that we can take the Turkish perspective, and it has a valid perspective; we can take the Israeli perspective, it has a valid perspective; and together, try to fully understand what happened. So – but just to reinforce that through the UN panel there's still work to be done and there's still, obviously, an effort that will be important to understand fully what happened last year," Crowley said.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) - Philip Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, on Wednesday described a report released by Turkey on Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla as "independent and credible."
"Both [Turkey and Israel] are doing what they can to help contribute to a fuller understanding of what happened during this incident last year [...] I'm saying that Turkey – it is an independent, credible report. I'm not challenging either one," Crowley told reporters at a daily press briefing.
The spokesman last Monday said an Israeli report on the flotilla incident was "transparent and independent."
Crowley said the Turkish National Commission of Inquiry last September submitted its interim report to the UN Secretary General's panel of inquiry, adding that both Turkey and Israel had worked "seriously and responsibly to get at the facts, and both have made important contributions to the work of the Secretary General's panel."
"We look forward to the process continuing at the United Nations within the Secretary General's Panel of Inquiry, which will give the international community the opportunity to fully review the circumstances surrounding this incident. And we look forward to a full examination of facts and perspectives from all sides," he said.
Crowley said relations with both Turkey and Israel were of "equal importance" to the U.S., adding, "they are both close friends of the United States. They have a relationship that has been important bilaterally and to the region, and we hope that both countries will continue to seek opportunities to move beyond the recent strains in their own bilateral relations."
Crowley said the U.S. recognized the importance the relationship between Turkey and Israel, adding that both countries exerted efforts to find ways to resolve the dispute.
"We hope that can be done, because this relationship has very significant meaning, both in terms of our respective relations with these two countries, but more importantly, Turkey has been a significant player in helping to resolve issues in the region related to the pursuit of Middle East peace. And we would hope that in the future that effort can continue," he said.
"Given the incident and the circumstances, I don't think that we're surprised that there are differing views of what transpired. That is expressly why we support the UN panel so that we can take the Turkish perspective, and it has a valid perspective; we can take the Israeli perspective, it has a valid perspective; and together, try to fully understand what happened. So – but just to reinforce that through the UN panel there's still work to be done and there's still, obviously, an effort that will be important to understand fully what happened last year," Crowley said.
