Turkish, Bulgarian Foreign Ministers trade barbs over Israel

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov and Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen Bagis have traded pointed remarks over Israel after the visiting official deplored Ankara’s expulsion of the Israeli ambassador. “I do not think that sending away the [Israeli] ambassador is a good idea as it limits the opportunities for dialogue” to resolve bilateral tensions, Mladenov, on a two-day visit to Ankara, told reporters yesterday ahead of a meeting with Bagis. He said Turkey and Israel shared a deep-rooted partnership and expressed hope that the two countries would adopt “an attitude that will benefit the security of the whole region.” Bagis responded to Mladenov and said Bulgaria would have considered similar sanctions if its nationals had been killed in international waters with no apology forthcoming after more than a year. Mladenov then remarked that “No Bulgarian citizen has ever tried to challenge a blockade,” prompting Bagis and his aides to remind him that the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara ferry took place in international waters. Mladenov emphasized that he was a friend of both Turkey and Israel, and said he worried that the crisis between the two countries might have an adverse impact on the region at a time of already simmering tensions in Arab countries.