Israeli minister urges neighbours to join future naval exercises

Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhaq Mordekhay on Wednesday urged neighbouring countries, including Syria, to join his country in future naval exercises in the Mediterranean.

Speaking on board a vessel which took part in the joint Israeli-Turkish-US naval exercise which ended today, Mordekhay said: "I would be glad if the Egyptians, the Jordanians and other countries participated in these exercises with their navies and air forces.

"I would be more than glad to see the day when we conduct joint exercises with the Syrians in all spheres. There is nothing in this exercise aimed against a third country," Modekhay said in remarks broadcast on Israeli Radio.

"All those who are here can see that the purpose is to create coordination and cooperation to rescue human lives and the ability to work in tandem in the Mediterranean basin," he said.

A US Navy spokesman told the radio that three vessels staged an emergency situation. Rescue exercises were carried out and several dummies were recovered from the sea.

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