U.S. tells Turkey of flotilla concerns

The Obama administration expressed to the Turkish government its concerns about the next Gaza aid flotilla. \"We’ve been in consultation with the Turkish Government about this,\" Mark Toner, the State Department spokesman, said on Wednesday. \"We’ve shared our concerns.\"

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Jewish Journal

June 3, 2011

The Obama administration expressed to the Turkish government its concerns about the next Gaza aid flotilla.

“We’ve been in consultation with the Turkish Government about this,” Mark Toner, the State Department spokesman, said on Wednesday. “We’ve shared our concerns.”

Activists are planning to send a flotilla of 15 ships—including one from the United States—later this month, to be launched from Turkey. Novelist Alice Walker is listed among the passengers of the American s

“What I think our concern is, we don’t want to see another situation arise where people are put at risk,” Toner said.

Turkish authorities say they will not stop the ships, which are run by independent non-governmental groups.

Relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorated sharply a year ago after Israeli commandos raided a nine-ship flotilla, killing nine Turks, including one Turkish American.