>>Turkey says it has no designs on northern Iraq
Last Updated Thu, 27 Mar 2003 0:57:01
ANKARA - With thousands of Turkish troops already in Iraq, and thousands more massing in a restricted military zone just inside Turkey, the country's top military commander made a rare public statement on Wednesday.
Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said Turkey has no intention of getting
involved in the Iraq conflict, unless there's a refugee crisis or a threat to its national security.
"We have no hidden agenda," he said. Ozkok brushed aside fears that Turkey wants to claim territory or intimidate Iraqi Kurds, in spite of a history of suppressing its own Kurdish population.
Fearing otherwise, the U.S. rushed a special envoy to Ankara for meetings with the Turkish government this week.
Washington is pushing for much tighter co-ordination between coalition forces and the Turkish military, well beyond simple permission to use Turkish airspace.
For Turkey, such a deal could ease international worries about its plans and motives in Iraq.
For the U.S., it could mean permission to use Turkish soil to send soldiers to open a northern front against Iraq – a request that was rejected earlier this month by the Turkish parliament.
If the scene at the Turkish port of Iskenderun is any indication, this time the U.S. seems much more confident of striking a deal.
Military equipment is still arriving at Turkish ports, including helicopters, tanks and armoured vehicles. Other supplies have been delivered to airports in southern Turkey, raising speculation that American troops could still be airlifted into northern Iraq.
Turkey won't comment on the possibility, but Gen. Ozkok did say Turkey's every action will be co-ordinated with the U.S.<<
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