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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (64634)	1/6/2003 1:22:28 PM
From: Karen Lawrence	Respond to of 281500

Turkey says no to US winds of war losing momentum everywhere....Report: Turkey cool on housing U.S. deploymenthttp://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-01-06-turkey-deployment_x.htm ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's parliament is unlikely to approve any massive deployment of U.S. troops in the country in the event of a war with Iraq, the foreign minister said in remarks published Monday. Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis has said repeatedly that it would be difficult for Turkey to accept the stationing of a large number of U.S. troops, but has left open the door for a smaller deployment. Turkey borders Iraq and its support is considered crucial in any war. "The likelihood of our public and of the parliament which represents that public to say 'yes' to such a decision is very remote," the Hurriyet newspaper quoted Yakis as saying. "Public opinion in Turkey is not ready for a solution in which tens of thousands of soldiers would be deployed in or pass through Turkey," he added. "This is how our government understands the public stance to be." Turkey, a close U.S. ally, is under increasing pressure from Washington to open up its bases for strikes against Iraq and allow the deployment of troops for a possible invasion of the country. But anti-war sentiment is running high in Turkey. The government has said it would decide on U.S. deployment after U.N. weapons inspectors release their report in late January. Yakis' Justice and Development Party is especially sensitive to the anti-war sentiment. The conservative party has Islamic roots and many of its supporters oppose a war against another Muslim country. There are also widespread fears in Turkey that a war would harm the country's fragile economy and lead to regional instability. Washington is interested in a possible troop deployment in Turkey that would open a northern front against Iraq, giving the United States the ability to attack from both the north and the south and surround central Iraq, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's heartland of support. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul is currently touring Syria, Egypt and Jordan to discuss Iraq. Some 50 U.S. warplanes are already bases in southern Turkey. They fly patrols over a northern Iraqi no-fly zone. That deployment requires parliamentary approval every six months.