Turkey Security Chiefs Cite Israel as National Threat

The Media Line (Link) (October 31, 2010)

In a new national security assessment, Turkey’s National Security Council (NSC) has cited Israeli policies as a new “major threat” to the country. The new assessment removes Iran, Syria, Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia from the list of countries that pose a threat to the Turkey, which belongs to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Greece, Ankara’s long-time foe and fellow NATO member, retained its status as a threat. The Turkish NSC’s “Red Book,” also known as its “secret constitution,” warned that Israel’s policies could lead to a regional arms race. Analysts have said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who leads a mildly Islamic Party, may be using the Red Book as a means of convincing his secular nationalist opponents into adopting his hostile attitude toward Israel. †