Turkey's intelligence chief irks Israel

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Turkey's intelligence chief irks Israel

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:52:53 GMT

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Hakan Fidan, the new head of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has expressed concern over Turkey's appointment of its new secret service chief whom he called a "supporter" of Iran.

 

According to AFP, the Turkish official, Hakan Fidan, 42, has been appointed to head the National Intelligence Organization, known by its Turkish acronym MIT, on May 27 after serving as undersecretary for foreign affairs to the prime minister and representing Turkey at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

 

The latter position placed him at the forefront of Turkey's efforts to resolve the international standoff over Iran's nuclear program, according to the Turkish press.

 

"Turkey is a friendly country, a strategic ally, but the nomination in recent weeks of a new chief of the Turkish secret services who is a supporter of Iran worries us," he told in a private meeting of his center-left Labor party.

 

Barak, in a recording of his remarks broadcast by Army Radio on Sunday, claimed that the appointment could result in "the Iranians having access to secret information."

 

Israel is annoyed by its erstwhile strategic partner's efforts to solve Iran's nuclear issue through diplomatic efforts, especially a declaration it signed with Iran and Brazil in May that would have seen Iran ship 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for fuel for the medical research reactor in Tehran.

 

Turkish-Israeli relations plunged to an all-time low and their ties are effectively frozen following the deadly May 31 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in which naval commandos shot dead nine Turkish activists, one of whom was also a US citizen.

 

AS/MGH

[Muriidi]

can you find how the following is related to the above ?

 

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By Ben Flanagan March 17, 2010

 

An ambitious plan to build a 28.5km bridge between Yemen and Djibouti could be approved by the end of April, according to the Dubai-based developer Al Noor Holding Investment.

 

Mohammed Ahmed al-Ahmed, the company’s CEO, tells Kipp that he is ‘confident’ that the respective governments will give the go-ahead for the $200 billion development, which includes the construction of a major city on either side of the bridge.

 

“We have a memorandum of understanding between our company and the governments of Yemen and Djibouti. The next step is to [sign] the framework [agreement], which has been officially submitted to the Yemen and Djibouti governments,” says al-Ahmed.

 

“We are expecting this later this month or next month. The moment we have received the signatures of the framework, all the companies are ready to move forward.”

 

Al-Ahmed added that he is “comfortable and confident” that approval will be given. “We have received very high support from these governments,” he says.

 

The estimated cost of the bridge itself is $14 billion, with Danish design consultant Cowi having already submitted the architectural plans. The structure, dubbed the ‘Bridge of the Horns’, will carry vehicles and trains, and include a natural gas pipeline.

 

The ‘Al Noor Cities’ will include one 1,500 sq km city to be located on the southwestern tip of Yemen, and a similar 1,000 sq km city in Djibouti, located on the Horn of Africa.

 

Al-Ahmed says that Al Noor Holding Investment has received many enquiries from potential construction partners. “The Chinese, in particular, are in interested in doing the project from A to Z,” he says. “But that wouldn’t work for political reasons: The whole world needs to be involved, not just one country.”

 

Al Noor Holding Investment a sister company of Middle East Development, an organization founded by Saudi businessman Tarek Mohammed bin Laden.