Peres: Israel will 'seek friendship with Turkey'

(AFP),WASHINGTON — President Shimon Peres said Israel will "seek friendship with Turkey" despite fallout over a deadly flotilla raid, while Turkish President Abdullah Gul said normalizing soured ties would be up to Israel.

The leaders appeared independently on a US Sunday talk show, and while the two insisted that they remain on friendly personal terms, there appeared to be tension over a recent New York meeting which fell through amid charges by Peres that Turkey had demanded an apology over the Israeli raid.

"I read they first want apologies and compensation. I was very much surprised," Peres told CNN show "Fareed Zakaria GPS."

That meeting was scrapped between the leaders, whose countries had been strategic allies until the raid, after which Ankara withdrew its ambassador and canceled joint war games.

"But we didn't change our attitude to Turkey," Peres said. "We were friends of Turkey, we shall seek friendship with Turkey."

Last week Turkey's Anatolia news agency reported that Gul didn't meet Peres in New York because of the Turkish leader's busy schedule, and on Sunday's broadcast Gul said reports that his government demanded an apology from Peres as a condition of their meeting were exaggerated.

"No, these are not correct," he said.

Yet Gul reiterated Ankara's position that Israel was to blame for the Mediterranean tragedy that left nine people dead, including eight Turks.

"They are defending their act and they are criticizing us as if we (did) something wrong. With this understanding, how can I meet?" he asked.

"We do not prefer this deterioration in relationship but unfortunately it was a great mistake from Israeli side because this blockage, embargo on Gaza," he told CNN in English.

"We're not against Israel. We are not enemy, but we have a right to criticize the policies."

While not directly stating that Turkey wanted an apology in order to mend ties, Gul said fixing the relationship was "up to Israel."

Peres said that if he had a chance to meet with Gul he would tell him "we have to continue our friendship," and that there were ways for Turkey to remain a key broker in the Middle East.

"Tell Hamas to stop shooting," Peres said, referring to the Islamist movement that in 2007 took over the Gaza Strip, from where rockets rained down on Israel in 2008 prompting a deadly Israeli incursion into the coastal enclave.

"Tell Iran to stop sending missiles. Tell (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad not to threaten to destroy Israel or deny the Holocaust," Peres said.

Gul said his government invited Hamas representatives to Turkey after their election win in Gaza, and told them to "act democratically" and to stop the "nonsense" of firing rockets into Israel.