ISTANBUL, February 26 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The Turkish Parliament began on Wednesday, February 26, to probe a government motion seeking approval of a U.S. deployment for a possible invasion of neighboring Iraq, as a state of divisions haunted the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The government proposal submitted to the parliament on Tuesday, February 25, includes allowing 300 aircraft and 62,000 American troops in for no more than a six-month period, the NTV news channel reported.

There are bones of contention between the two sides as the role of Turkish forces in northern Iraq and how long they would sweep into Iraqi northern territories as well as the Iraqi Turks after the post-Saddam Hussein era, the Turkish Hurriyet newspaper reported, adding that the Turkish Parliament's approval would be granted within coming few days.

U.S. and Turkish officials said certain details remained to be worked out, but it was not clear whether those would also be sent to the parliament, CNN reported.

Some lawmakers said they needed more information before they could vote on the troop request.

Ankara is seeking guarantees that the Iraqi Kurds, beyond Baghdad's control since the 1991 Gulf war, will not be allowed to break away from Baghdad, a prospect that could incite secession ambitions among Turkey's owns Kurds.

Turkey wants to send troops to northern Iraq to thwart any independence moves by local Kurds, deal with Turkish Kurdish rebels based in the enclave and prevent a possible influx of refugees to its soil.

If approved, the motion would be followed by three agreements between the Turkish government and the U.S. counterpart to be signed in as to political, economic and military issues.

Alarmed by the Turkish move, the Iraqi Kurd parliament met in special session Tuesday with deputies from the autonomous region's main factions unanimously calling for international action to keep Ankara's regional ambitions in check.

Turkish Economy Minister Ali Babacan said earlier in the day that Ankara could obtain loans of up to 30 billion dollars under an aid package the United States is offering in return for using Turkish soil during a possible war against Iraq, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Anatolia news agency said Babacan confirmed Washington had offered Ankara a grant of six billion dollars (5.5 billion euros), four billion of which could be used to obtain commercial loans.

"The loans could be between 20 and 30 billion dollars," Babacan said, declining to say whether Turkey was pleased with the proposal.

Fresh Rift

In another related development, a difference of views appears to show up in the ranks of the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP).

The Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who doubles up as a key AKP member, said that the legislative council expected the government to discuss the national annual budget instead of a war motion.

"I appeal to the government: we are not anticipating the motion from you. We are anticipating the 2003 budget draft ... it has long been delayed," Arinc told reporters.

He reiterated his opposition to an immediate debate on the issue and urged the government to put the motion on hold.

The party ordered a AKP Parliament member be investigated because his objection to the government motion or signing up to the war decision, the NTV added.

On his part, the Turkish Deputy Premiere and cabinet spokesman Abdullatif Sener dismissed in a television interview a rift between the government and the military on the Iraq war.

An atmosphere for dialogue and understanding have run high between the two parties, Sener said, adding the government has not yet determined the number of Turkish troops that would step into northern Iraq.

Sener said on Tuesday that "an important section of the cabinet was not satisfied by the developments, but at the end of the discussions it was decided to send the resolution to parliament,".

"At this point, talks with the U.S. on military, political and economic issues have reached a significant stage but they continue," he added.

The government reserved the right to submit a motion to the Parliament, a AKP member of Parliament and lawmaker said, in reference to Turkish Bar of Association's complaint to the Prosecutor General accusing the AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul of breaking the law when submitting a war proposal to the parliament.

The government seeks to avert wrongs of the 1991 Gulf War, he said.

Bowing to the American Pressure

The opposition Republican party leader slammed the motion, saying the government bowed to the American pressures. He said his party would met the motion with disapproval.

The Turkish press expected AKP division on the war motion.

The AKP has 363 seats in the 550-seat parliament, but 60 party members have said they will abstain from voting, CNN reported.

A parliamentary vote would be a big step forward for Washington which is eager to seal a deal for a "northern front," it added.

Washington wants to use Turkish territory and military bases to launch a secondary "northern front" that would relieve a main invasion into Iraq's south. A second front could shorten any war and cut the number of American casualties, military planners believe, it added.

U.S. ships are waiting off the coast of Turkey to unload supplies for the 4th Infantry Division, which would lead an armored attack from Turkey into northern Iraq if there is a war.

U.S. envoys have been meeting Turkish officials around the clock for days trying to secure the deal.

Turkey has closed its sole border crossing for traffic going into Iraq after the foreign ministry warned state institutions to take measures relating to the possible arrival of U.S. troops in Turkey.

But Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan warned in an interview published Wednesday in Moscow that Iraq could strike Turkey or Kuwait if the United States launched a war against Baghdad.

"War is war," Ramadan told the Vremya Novostei daily when asked if Iraqi strikes against either of the countries were possible.