2010-07-05 16:47

ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has warned to cut diplomatic ties with Israel if the latter does not apologize over the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in late May, which killed eight Turks on board.

"Israelis have three options: They will either apologize or acknowledge an international-impartial inquiry and its conclusion. Otherwise, our diplomatic ties will be cut off," Davutoglu was quoted by Monday's edition of the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

He made the remarks in an interview on Sunday with the paper on his plane returning from Kyrgyzstan.

Turkey has demanded an international inquiry into the incident, which killed eight Turks and an American of Turkish origin, but Davutoglu said Turkey also accepted Israel's internal inquiry panel to investigate it.

"We showed them an exit road. If they apologize as a result of their own investigation's conclusion, that would be fine for us. But of course we first have to see it," he said.

However, in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks last week that Israel would not apologize over the incident, Davutoglu said, "Then the ties will never be repaired."

He stressed that if Israel does not want to apologize, "then they should accept an international investigation," and Turkey " would not wait for Israel's decision indefinitely."

The foreign minister also hinted that Turkey would appreciate US efforts to mend the ties between Turkey and Israel, saying Netanyahu's upcoming meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday would be an important meeting for the future of Turkish-Israeli ties.

Israel's deadly raid on the flotilla has gravely deteriorated its ties with Turkey. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel, canceled joint military drills and closed airspace to Israeli military flights.