Shalom will meet President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, it said.

The short working visit will be the first high-level contact between the two countries since Erdogan's Justice and Development Party won a general election in November.

Turkey, a secular Muslim state, has been Israel's main ally in the region since 1996, when they signed a military cooperation accord that caused widespread anger in the Arab world and Iran.

The two have since regularly conducted joint military manoeuvres and strengthened economic ties.

Shalom, formerly Israel's finance minister, became foreign minister last month in the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

SPACE.WIRE