JERUSALEM, Jan 4: Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul assured Israel of the strength of their relationship on Tuesday as he sought to draw a line under a period of tension between the traditional allies.

"Our friendship is solid," Gul said at a press briefing with his counterpart Silvan Shalom during the most senior visit by a Turkish official to Israel since the Justice and Development Party, a movement with Islamist roots, came to power in Ankara in 2002.

Tensions had escalated last May, when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned as "state terror" a deadly Israeli operation in the Rafah region of southern Gaza and Ankara temporarily recalled its ambassador.

The move marked an unprecedented chill in relations, which had been close since 1996 when, to the anger of Arab nations and Iran, the two countries hammered out a military cooperation accord, followed by a sharp increase in trade and cultural exchanges.

"We agreed to intensify our collaboration to bring bilateral ties to new highs," Shalom said, hailing Israel's "deep friendship and intimate dialogue" with Turkey. Gul underlined his country was eager to do all it could to help revive the Middle East peace process and said that Syria too was keen to participate.

"There is a new climate in the region ... This opportunity should not be missed," he said. "I believe they (the Syrians) wish to seek a lasting peace in the region." In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Gul said "the Syrian signals are serious and their intentions are good."

Gul's trip to Israel came hot on the heels of a high-profile visit by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to Damascus in late December. Turkey, a strictly secular non-Arab Muslim nation, believes it can help with peace initiatives across the region, drawing on its close ties with Israel and the Palestinians, and the remarkable improvement in its relations with Syria, a former foe.

The idea, however, appears to have so far attracted little enthusiasm from Israel. Shalom welcomed Turkey's offer but said Syria should first stop supporting and harbouring militant groups targeting Israel.

"We need to see an effort by Syria and Arabs to try to put an end to terrorism and incitement that is coming towards Israel from their countries. "Turkey can also use its influence on the Palestinian Authority... to help them realize that the only way towards progress is to put an end to terrorism and violence," he said.

Damascus would send "a very positive signal" to Israel if it also moves on humanitarian issues such as the long-sought return of the remains of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria four decades ago, Shalom said.

Gul met also with Israeli President Moshe Katsav, and was scheduled to hold talks later Tuesday with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and main opposition Labour party leader Shimon Peres.

He will meet with Palestinian leaders on Wednesday, including foreign minister Nabil Shaath, prime minister Ahmed Qorei and Mahmud Abbas, the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization and frontrunner in the Palestinian presidential elections at the weekend. His talks with Israeli leaders are expected to pave the way for a visit to the Jewish state by Erdogan later in the year. -AFP