Turkey 'gives Israel deadline' for drone delivery

ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey has given Israeli contractors 50 days to fulfill a long-delayed deal for the delivery of 10 drone aircraft for the Turkish army, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul was quoted as saying Saturday.

The delays in the project, launched in 2005, have come against a backdrop of tensions between the two regional allies over Israel's devastating war on the Gaza Strip at the turn of the year.

The two contractors -- Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit -- have been sent a letter to fulfill the terms of the deal within 50 days, the CNN Turk news channel quoted Gonul as saying.

"If this letter does not bear fruit either, the tender may be canceled. But there is no cancellation at the moment," Gonul told CNN Turk, according to the report.

Negotiations between the two sides are continuing, he added.

Israeli officials have rejected suggestions that the delay had political links, saying the project was snagged by technical problems as Turkish-manufactured equipment proved too heavy for the aircraft.

Turkish media reported this week that Turkey had returned the only two planes to have been delivered on grounds they failed to meet the required technical norms concerning flying altitude and time.

Turkey awarded the contract in April 2005, saying that it involved the manufacture of three unmanned aerial vehicle systems, including 10 aircraft, surveillance equipment and ground control stations.

The contract was part of a 183-million-dollar project in which Turkish firms were to provide sub-systems and services amounting to 30 percent of the project.

Officials had said at the time the Israeli side was expected to complete their part in 24 to 30 months.

Israel's ties with Turkey, its main regional ally since 1998 when the two signed a military cooperation accord, took a downturn in January when the Islamist-rooted government in Ankara launched an unprecedented barrage of criticism of the Zionist state over its deadly offensive on Gaza.

Last month Turkey excluded Israel from joint military drills and said ties would continue to suffer unless Israel ends "the humanitarian tragedy" in Gaza and revives peace talks with the Palestinians.