Turkish Leaders Reconsider Deployment of U.S. Troops
Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey -- The leaders of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party were meeting Sunday to decide whether to resubmit a motion to permit the deployment of U.S. combat troops in Turkey as part of U.S. war plans in Iraq.
Turkey's parliament failed to approve the motion Saturday, jeopardizing U.S. war plans and putting the country's strategic alliance with Washington at risk. The parliament voted 264-250 in favor of stationing U.S. troops, with 19 abstentions, but it fell three short of a simple majority for approval.
Washington has been counting on Turkish support.
Hundreds of U.S. trucks and jeeps line a port in southern Turkey, waiting for parliamentary approval. Washington has been pressing Turkey for weeks to agree to a northern front, which would split Saddam Hussein's army between the north and the south, likely making a war shorter and less bloody.
U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson to Turkey expressed disappointment.
"We had certainly hoped for a favorable decision," Mr. Pearson said Saturday. "We will wait for further information and advice from the government of Turkey about how we should proceed."
The White House withheld official comment, but officials said privately that the administration remains convinced it ultimately will get its way.
However, it was not clear whether the government will push the controversial motion once again through the parliament when it reconvenes on Tuesday. After a late night meeting Saturday, government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government was not planning to resubmit the motion to parliament, private NTV and CNN-Turk television stations reported. However, that report could not be independently confirmed.
The motion would have empowered the government to authorize the basing of up to 62,000 U.S. troops, 255 warplanes and 65 helicopters.
Copyright (c) 2003 Associated Press
Updated March 2, 2003 1:02 a.m. EST
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