In a further sign that Turkish-Israeli relations are warming, the head of Turkey's powerful National Security Council plans to visit Israel next week to discuss terrorism and issues of joint strategic interest, The Associated Press quoted a diplomat as saying on Wednesday. Yigit Alpogan, the secretary-general of the National Security Council, which groups Turkish political and military leaders, is the latest senior official to head to the Jewish state. Alpogan was expected to meet his Israeli counterpart on Tuesday to discuss a range of issues of common strategic interest, including terrorism, an Israeli Embassy official said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. Turkey is a key trading partner for Israel, and the two regional powers have had close military ties for years. U.S. officials have strongly encouraged those ties and U.S. President George W. Bush reportedly stressed the importance of Turkish-Israeli ties when he met with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer last year.
