Kerry:Turkey and Israel are both vital allies of US

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said they had found objectionable the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements about Zionism as a crime that is against humanity.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in the Turkish capital of Ankara, John Kerry also replied press corps’ questions.

Replying a question on Turkey and Israel relations following Turkish PM Erdogan’s complaints about prejudices against Muslims and Islamophobia, Kerry said that he had the opportunity to discuss the issue with Davutoglu.

"We not only disagree with it, but we find it objectionable. I raised the speech with the foreign minister and I will also raise it with the prime minister", Kerry said.

Stating that he has been working on Turkey and Israel relations for years, Kerry said Turkey and Israel were both vital allies of United States.

"We want to see them work together, put this beyond and to begin taking concrete steps to change this relation. I believe that it is possible," he said.

Turkish PM Erdogan had complained of prejudices against Muslims while speaking at the UN Alliance of Civilizations conference in Vienna on Wednesday. Erdogan had also mentioned that Islamophobia ought to be considered a crime against humanity such as Zionism, such as anti-Semitism.

Friday, March 01, 2013