Doug Silliman, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Ankara, was called to the Foreign Ministry Monday “for a reprimand,” after UN chief Ban Ki-moon announced the creation of a four-member panel to investigate the raid that killed nine Turks, the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. The reprimand was delivered over comments by US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, in which she said the UN inquiry was “not a substitute” for national investigations being carried out by Israel and Turkey.

“The United States is viewing the commission from a narrow perspective. (Rice’s) statement was one that seemed to give the impression the US was determining the commission’s work,” the diplomat said.

Ankara also objected to the US view that the panel was meant to mend once-strong Turkish-Israeli ties which plunged into crisis following the May 31 raid on the aid ships. “The raid is an issue between the international community and Israel, and not between Turkey and Israel. There were people from 30 different countries on those ships,” the diplomat said.

“This commission is tasked with investigating the incident. Its duty is not to absolve Israel or improve Turkish-Israeli ties,” he added.

The Israeli raid resulted in the death of nine Turks — including one with dual US-Turkish citizenship — on the flotilla’s lead ship, the Turkish ferry Mavi Marmara, dealing a heavy blow to Turkish-Israeli ties. Ankara denounced the raid as a violation of international law, immediately recalled its ambassador and canceled three planned joint military exercises with the Jewish state.

Although Turkey has welcomed the UN probe, it says it expects Israel to apologize over the raid, pay compensation for the victims and lift the blockade of Gaza for the recovery of bilateral ties.

Meanwhile, the president of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has denied that the body’s investigation of Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla has been made redundant by the announcement of a higher-profile UN probe.

Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Wednesday defended the Geneva-based council’s investigation into the May 31 incident, which was launched before the UN secretary general announced a high-level panel on Monday. Sihasak urged Israel to cooperate with both.

“There’s a clear distinction between the two missions and the mandates given,” Sihasak told reporters, dismissing suggestions that the 47-nation council’s probe was now superfluous. “I feel very strongly that we have to proceed.”

Ban’s probe has a greater international profile, as it is led by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer and outgoing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. It will also get more input from the parties through its inclusion of a Turkish and an Israeli representative, and reports submitted by the two countries.

Sihasak, of Thailand, said the rights council’s mission will try to travel to the region to interview people in person, but the Jewish state has previously refused to take part in council investigations.

Both teams are expected to publish their findings in September.

Israel said Monday it will work with Ban’s panel but has yet to say if it will cooperate with the rights council’s probe.