Islamic Nations Scold Turkey For Israeli Ties Turkey Is Only Muslim State With Military Pact With Israel

In an apparent slap at Turkey, foreign ministers and delegates from more than 50 Muslim countries condemned military cooperation with Israel on Sunday. But they stopped short of denouncing U.S. policies in the region.

The action came at the end of a two-day planning meeting for a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which begins in Tehran on Tuesday. Leaders from 55 nations are expected to attend.

The resolution on military ties with Israel proved a sticking point during the weekend’s deliberations, said OIC spokesman Mohammad Javad Zarif. It was passed after specific mention of Turkey was dropped.

The resolution expresses “deep concern about the fact that some member states of the OIC are establishing relations of military cooperation with Israel.”

Turkey is the only Muslim country that has formal military ties with Israel. The two countries signed two military agreements in 1996 that have been strongly criticized by Arab states.

“Our policy is always to encourage countries not to have relations with Israel’s occupying regime and, if they do, to sever them,” Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said.

Ahat Andican, Turkish minister of state, said the resolution was only a suggestion. But most expect it to be approved by the leaders at this week’s summit.

Mention of Turkey also was dropped from a hotly debated resolution on protecting Iraq’s territorial integrity, Zarif said. Turkey has carried out several cross-border military offensives in northern Iraq against secessionist Kurdish groups.

With U.S. allies like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt present, delegates also were unable to agree on a resolution critical of U.S. policy in the region, particularly in the Gulf.

The OIC summit is the biggest gathering of international leaders in Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution. But many of Tehran’s 10 million people see it as little more than a four-day holiday that the government has declared during the conference.

The capital will be virtually shut down Monday, with cars barred from much of the sprawling capital for security and to ease the city’s notorious traffic jams. Domestic flights have been canceled for Monday, when the leaders are to arrive.

Security was beefed up Sunday, with police forces searching nearly every car and some pedestrians.