Turkey says it forced Iran planes down

Yahoo News ^ | Aug. 18, 2006 | Staff

[Nachum]

ANKARA, Turkey - The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Friday that it had forced two Syria-bound Iranian planes to land and be searched for rockets and other military equipment during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The newspaper Hurriyet reported Wednesday that Iranian planes were forced to land at Diyarbakir airport on July 27 and on Aug. 8 — but that no military equipment was found.

Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Murat Ozcelik said those were not the only planes that were forced to land.

"We inspect Iranian planes upon any suspicion that they may be carrying any weapons," Ozcelik said. He declined to give further details.

Ozcelik said it was "out of the question" for Turkey to be a major transit point for Iranian weapons to Hezbollah militants, who battled Israel for more than a month with weapons allegedly provided by Iran.

"All the suspicious aircraft are asked to land," Ozcelik said. "Anyone who alleges that Turkey was turning a blind eye is wrong."

Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO, has good relations with both Israel and its Arab neighbors. It has been trying to cultivate ties with neighboring Iran, a largely Persian country.

[dighton]

... Iran, a largely Persian country.

Well yeah, being called Persia and all.

[kinoxi]

I suspect that's jive turkey if I remember my ebonics class correctly. :)

[Chi-townChief]

LOL

[knarf]

jive ass turkey, muhfuh.

[bubman]

do you think the Turks want to be major players?

[Nachum]

I think that they do not want to encourage more war.

[RedStateRocker]

I feel, to a degree, that they are, will and shall always be sulking about being a second rate power. A few hundred years of being a powerful empire is probably pretty hard to forget. IMHO a decent amount of flattery and butt kissing would get us a LONG way in Turkey. My impression of the Turks is that they are all about business; and war can be bad for business. The folks I me over there were about as serious about Islam as the typical Episcopalian is about Christianity- pay it lip service, view it as a functional set of morals and at its best a method of helping the poor that is inherently more efficient that the government (what isn't) but nothing to be taken seriously enough to get in the way of important things like making money, love or good eats:-)

[Old Student]

"The folks I me over there were about as serious about Islam as the typical Episcopalian is about Christianity- pay it lip service, view it as a functional set of morals and at its best a method of helping the poor that is inherently more efficient that the government (what isn't) but nothing to be taken seriously enough to get in the way of important things like making money, love or good eats:-)"

And drinking Lion's Milk. Despite that, mostly good people there.

[PghBaldy]

Good for Turkey. There have been recent disturbing developments there, and this is a hopeful sign.

[jabotinsky]

"... Iran, a largely Persian country.

Well yeah, being called Persia and all."


original line is not as assinine as it first seems. Iranian nationals can be of numerous ethnicities..with Persians (60%?) being the majority.

the rest are comprised of baluchis, arabs, azeris, kurds..etc..

something to kep in mind when the west finally decides to tackle the monster that rules Iran.