Turkey mends fences with Israel, Russia in foreign policy reset

[WorldNews]

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By Nick Tattersall, Jack Stubbs and Jeffrey Heller ISTANBUL/MOSCOW/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Turkey announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel on Monday after a six-year rupture and expressed regret to Russia over the downing of a warplane, seeking to mend strained alliances and ease a sense of isolation on the world stage. The deal with Israel after years of negotiation was a rare rapprochement in the divided Middle East, driven by the prospect of lucrative Mediterranean gas deals as well as mutual fears over growing security risks. "With this agreement, economic relations will start to improve," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said of the deal with Israel, echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it would have "immense implications" for Israel's economy.

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