Turkey worried by Iran8217;s missile test

quot;Armament efforts by some neighbouring countries and circles are worrying,quot; Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz told a news briefing.

quot;The second test by Iran of the Shahab-3 missile8230;has created sensitivity in our country. The developments are being watched closely,quot; he added.

Tehran says the missile test was solely for defensive purposes and accused Israel and the United States of exploiting the issue for propaganda.

The Shahab-3 is modelled mainly on North Korea8217;s Nodong-1 and improved with Russian technology.

Turkish newspapers have said Turkey may co-produce the anti-missile system with Israel in response to Iran8217;s move.

quot;I have no knowledge of that,quot; the Turkish spokesman said when asked to comment on the reports. Defence officials were not immediately available for comment.

Turkey and Israel already enjoy close cooperation in many strategic fields including joint arms production, to the anger of Arab world and Iran.

Relations between Islamic Iran and secular Turkey are often tense. Ankara accuses Iran of backing Turkey8217;s separatist Kurdish guerrillas and Islamic rebels. Tehran denies the acusations and says Turkey harbours opponents of the Iranian government.