Turkey to urge Parliament on U.S. troops

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Posted 6:58PM on Tuesday, March 18, 2003

ANKARA, TURKEY - Turkey's government said Wednesday it would ask parliament to let in U.S. troops for an Iraq war. Cabinet spokesman Cemil Cicek said the resolution would be put before parliament by Thursday at the latest. But Cicek said that negotiations with the United States were still going on as to whether Turkey would grant Washington the use of Turkish airspace during a war. U.S. bombers based in Europe or the United States would need to cross Turkey to strike Iraq, and Washington urgently wants permission to use Turkish airspace. The resolution to be put before parliament would also authorize Turkish troops to cross into Iraq during any war. The United States had been pressing for permission to send 62,000 soldiers to Turkey to open a northern front against Iraq that would divide Iraq's army. Ships carrying armor for those soldiers are off the Turkish coast, but unloading the ships could take weeks. Cicek gave no details as to whether the new resolution would allow in that many troops. Turkey's political and military leaders decided in an emergency meeting late Monday that Turkey should take quick steps toward authorizing the U.S. military to use Turkish territory. Parliament rebuffed a Washington request earlier this month. The decision comes after President Bush warned Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein that he had 48 hours to leave Iraq or face war. With some polls showing 94 percent of the public opposed to war and strong opposition within Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party, the government had been hesitant to push through a new resolution. Turkey changed its tone Monday, after financial markets plunged following word from Washington that a $15 billion aid package of loans and grants was no longer being considered due to the Turkish delays. Monday night, the country's top political leaders and the military chief met and reaffirmed support for a new resolution. "I think the chances of the resolution being accepted this time are very high," said legislator Mehmet Dulger. "We didn't want to open the way for war," he said. But now that war seemed inevitable, "it is a different situation." Turkey fears that once Saddam is toppled, Iraqi Kurds who already enjoy autonomy in the north may declare independence - a move that could inspire Turkey's own Kurds and revive a 15-year war between Turkish troops and autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels. Turkey has indicated it intends to send troops across the border into northern Iraq to prevent secession by the Kurds. The United States has urged Turkey not to unilaterally send its soldiers across the border. Secretary of State Colin Powell called his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, on Monday to discuss the U.S. concerns.