ANKARA, February 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Turkey moved closer to backing a U.S.-led war on Iraq, with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan arguing Tuesday, February 4, that his country's interests would be jeopardized if it refuses to take part.

In a major U-turn after months of anti-war rhetoric in Ankara, Erdogan said: "If one is left out of the equation at the start the operation, it may not be possible to be in a position to control developments at the end of the operation."

"Turkey's long-term interests and even security, could be in jeopardy," he said in parliament as legislators geared up to vote this week on Turkey's participation in a possible operation against neighboring Iraq, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Many see Turkish involvement in a possible U.S.-led operation as a means of guaranteeing a say in shaping post-war Iraq, which Ankara fears could see the country's break-up and the establishment of a Kurdish state in the north.

Such a state could incite Turkey's own Kurds to separatism.

"If the current administration in Iraq changes after an intervention, then Turkey must absolutely have an effective role in the decision-making mechanism," Erdogan said.

The press reported that Ankara was considering asking lawmakers to allow 30,000 U.S. fighting troops to pass through Turkey on their way to northern Iraq.

It would also ask permission for the deployment of some 350 U.S. warplanes and 10,000 troops on Turkish territory to provide logistic support to a war.

Parliament might also be called upon to approve the deployment of Turkish soldiers to mainly Kurdish northern Iraq.

The mass-circulation Hurriyet daily said the government would first ask parliament to allow 3,500 soldiers from the U.S. corps of engineers to deploy here to help upgrade ports and airports for a possible war.

An initial vote was expected Thursday, February 6.

Turkish Intervention in Northern Iraq Inevitable: Opposition Leader

Erdogan says "Turkey must absolutely have an effective role in," forming post-war Iraqi government

In a related development, the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party, Deniz Baykal, said Turkish military intervention in northern Iraq to prevent any Kurdish independence moves will be "inevitable" in the event of a war.

"In the case of a large operation in Iraq, the developments in northern Iraq will have the most negative impact on Turkey. Therefore, it is an inevitable need for us to send soldiers to northern Iraq," he told parliament.

Baykal's remarks reflected widespread fears among Turks that the breakaway Kurds in northern Iraq would proclaim independence if the United States attacked Baghdad, encouraging their restive cousins in neighboring Turkey.

Turkish military action in the region "should not be considered as an invasion or a bid to topple (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein," Baykal said.

"Turkey will enter there not to stay, but to prevent any negative consequences on itself."

He warned that the possible break-up of Iraq "will turn into a hell... the region of which Turkey is part."

In an apparent bid to keep the Iraqi Kurds under control, Ankara convened a meeting with their leaders for Thursday.

U.S. President George W. Bush's envoy to the Iraqi opposition, Zalmay Khalilzad, will also participate in the talks.

"Turkey has a vital role" in efforts to disarm Iraq, Khalilzad said upon his arrival in Ankara Tuesday, Anatolia news agency reported.

Many lawmakers are opposed to war, but observers say the AKP, which has a comfortable majority, will put its weight on dissidents to toe the party line.

"The U.S. naturally wants Turkey to determine its stand as soon as possible, but Turkey considers its national interests first. Then decisions will be made in the framework of our perfect friendship with the U.S.," Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said.

Turkey has insisted on an explicit U.N. resolution authorizing military action against Iraq, and has said its contribution to an Iraq operation would be limited even with U.N. blessing.

U.S. Sends More Enforcements to Northern Iraq

Erdogan says "Turkey must absolutely have an effective role in," forming post-war Iraqi government

As the war drums beat louder, the U.S. sent up to 1,000 soldiers to Kurdish areas in northern Iraq to train Kurds and make logistical preparations for the arrival of thousands of U.S. troops in the event of an attack on Iraq.

Between 700 and 1,000 U.S. troops are in northern Iraq, with some 50 more arriving each day, AFP quoted Secretary General of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Mohammad Hadji Mahmud as confirming.

Kurdistan would be one of the fronts in any U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, targeting the Baghdad-controlled cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, he said.

Mahmud added that the U.S. forces could launch a sweeping attack on the 1,000-strong Islamic group Ansar al-Islam (Supporters of Islam), accused by the U.S. of being the "missing link" between Saddam and al-Qaeda.

On February 1, Ansar al-Islam leader Najmadin Fatah, who goes by the nom de guerre Mullah Krekar, refuted the charges and threatened to unveil "irrefutable evidence" of ties with the Americans before 9/11 attacks.

According to Kurdish military sources with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the KDP, three airstrips in the Kurdish areas had been repaired and cleaned following another U.S. request for them to be ready for use by mid-February.

The sources said the airstrips were near the enclave's main cities of Arbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniya.

However, a PUK source said the Kurdish leadership had given strict instructions to its staff not to comment on any U.S. troop presence, while knowledge of U.S. military activities is restricted to a select group of officials.