Asked
whether the government request would allow U.S. planes to use Turkish
bases for purposes such as refueling, Erdogan said: "No, none of
these are in it (the motion)."
A
source close to the Turkish government said earlier Wednesday that U.S.
and British planes now operating out of the southern Turkish base of
Incirlik to patrol a no-fly zone over northern Iraq would not be allowed
to take part in bombing raids in the event of a conflict.
The
new motion comes in the wake of a parliamentary vote on March 1,
narrowly rejecting a U.S. request to deploy 62,000 soldiers on Turkish
soil to invade Iraq from the north.
A
U.S.-led war on Iraq is expected to break out in a matter of days or
even hours.
Some
50 “allied” warplanes have been operating out of Incirlik, a giant
base in southeastern Turkey not far from the border with Iraq, since the
previous Gulf War.
The
source said the planes at Incirlik were "part of a surveillance and
reconnaissance mission . . . that will be terminated with the start of
the (U.S.-led military) operation" into Iraq.
‘No
Money’
Although
Turkey signaled its readiness to open its airspace to U.S. bombers, it
said it lost a six-billion-dollar aid package because of it didn’t
allow U.S. ground forces into the country for a possible invasion of
northern Iraq.
Justice
Minister Cemil Cicek said a vote on the issue would take place on
Thursday despite media reports that Washington had pressed Ankara to
hold the vote on Wednesday, before an ultimatum to Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face war expired.
"The
United States has requested permission only for the transit passage of
U.S. planes... Talks will continue on other issues according to
developments," Cicek said in an apparent hint that Washington might
ask for further support from Ankara as a military campaign in Iraq
unfolds.
Washington
has withdrawn a six-billion-dollar aid package for Turkey following
parliament's failure to approve the deployment of U.S. troops in the
country, Turkish Economy Minister Ali Babacan told Anatolia news agency
Wednesday.
"The
six-billion-dollar package is not available at the moment, but it is not
known what developments could take place in the coming days," he
said.
The
minister added that Washington had promised this package in return for
"full military cooperation."
Asked
whether Washington could offer a modified package to Ankara, Babacan
said: "This will be discussed, things are developing very
quickly."
U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters in Washington that
"my colleagues at the Defense Department still feel that there are
things Turkey can do some distance in the future."
Under
pressure from a fiercely anti-war public, the Turkish parliament
severely undermined U.S. war plans on March 1 when it rejected a
government motion on the deployment of 62,000 U.S. troops in the
country.
The
government further frustrated the United States as it delayed for weeks
a decision on whether to hold a second vote on the issue.
In
a bid to sooth the anxiety, the U.S. embassy here said Washington would
continue to back Turkey's recovery efforts under programs sponsored by
the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Parliament's
rebuff not only hampered Washington's plans to open a northern front on
Iraq, but also impeded Ankara's bid to send troops into Kurdish-held
northern Iraq in cooperation with the United States.
Washington
has repeatedly warned Ankara against unilateral military action in
northern Iraq, while local Kurds have threatened to fight the Turkish
army.
Cicek,
however, said Washington had agreed "in principle" to allow
Turkish soldiers to enter the enclave which has enjoyed de facto
autonomy from Baghdad since the 1991 Gulf War thanks to a no-fly zone
enforced by U.S. planes based in Turkey.
Ankara
fears that Iraqi Kurds may take advantage of a war to move towards
independence, setting an example for their restive cousins in Turkey's
own southeast.
Keen
to allay Ankara's fears, leading Iraqi opposition groups -- among them
the Iraqi Kurds -- pledged to preserve the territorial integrity of
post-war Iraq following talks with Turkish and U.S. officials here
Wednesday.
NATO
braced for start of war on Iraq
Meanwhile,
NATO chief George Robertson was awaiting word Wednesday on the start of
war on Iraq, as the alliance increased AWACS surveillance flights in the
region, an official said.
Robertson
expected to be informed shortly before a US-led conflict was launched,
said the official.
"The
secretary general as head of NATO would expect to be told and I'm sure
he will be," said the official, as war against Baghdad appeared
imminent.
Security
was stepped up around NATO's sprawling headquarters on the outskirts of
Brussels, diplomats said. The alliance is helping Turkey's defenses and
is seen as a potential terrorist target.
