Report: Turkish PM says Turkey has closed its airspace to Israeli flights
By APMonday, June 28, 2010
Report: Turkish airspace closed to Israel
ANKARA, Turkey — The state-run news agency quotes Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying Turkey has closed its airspace to Israel.
The Anatolia news agency quotes Erdogan as telling reporters in Canada that Turkey imposed a ban on flights after the May 31 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. He did not elaborate.
Eight Turks and a Turkish-American were killed in the raid. Israel says its commandos were acting in self-defense.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador and canceled joint military drills in response. It has said it would reduce military and trade ties unless and not return its ambassador unless Israel apologizes for the raid. It also wants Israel to return the seized aid ships, agree to an international investigation and offer compensation for the victims.
