Turkey stands firm over US forces

Turkey stands firm over US forces

The US wants to fight on two fronts

The head of Turkey's ruling party has said that US forces will not be permitted to launch an attack on Iraq from his country unless written guarantees of financial aid are provided.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a Turkish newspaper that Ankara was also seeking clarification from Washington on Turkey's role in any war.

Use of Turkish military bases would allow the United States to open a northern front in any attack on Iraq, to coincide with operations in the south.

But although Turkey is a key Muslim ally of the US and a fellow member of Nato, its leaders are deeply concerned about the impact of war on the already fragile Turkish economy.

A parliamentary vote that would allow American troops to deploy on Turkish soil, due earlier this week, has been delayed while officials from the two countries try to hammer out a deal.

Grants and loans

Washington has reportedly offered Ankara grants of $6bn and loans of up to $20bn in exchange for its support, and has expressed frustration over Turkey's failure to accept the deal.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters in Washington that he expected to hear back from Turkey by the end of Thursday.

"Our position is firm," he said.

Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that a statement on the issue would not be made until Friday.

Mr Erdogan insists that Turkey should receive formal assurances that the US Congress will act quickly to release financial aid.

Nato has already approved defensive measures for Turkey in the event of war

Economy Minister Ali Babacan was even more downbeat.

"We have found the figures insufficient and we are not looking favourably at the offer," he told the Cumhuriyet newspaper.

And he added: "The US says the (Iraq) operation will be short. On the other hand, it says the congressional process affecting all matters, including the grants, will take between six and eight weeks.

"What if the operation is over before the completion of the congressional process and Congress tells us 'Sorry'? That is why a written deal is a must."

UN resolution

Turkey argues that its economy suffered a loss of tens of billions of dollars as a result of the 1991 Gulf War, and that it had little input in subsequent decisions affecting the area, particularly northern Iraq.

WHO BACKS WAR?

Where the key nations stand on military conflict in Iraq

At-A-Glance

The situation is further complicated by calls from many within the Turkish leadership for a second United Nations Security Council resolution on Iraq, authorising the use of force, to be adopted before the Americans are allowed in.

In other developments in the Iraq crisis:

• The US is to submit a new resolution to the Security Council next week, a senior Bush administration official says

• US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says US and British troops in the Gulf are now ready to go to war

• Russia expresses concern about "strong pressure" on UN weapons inspectors to produce assessments that could be used as a pretext for war

• Inspectors visit Iraqi sites involved in producing al-Samoud missiles - chief inspector Hans Blix is to demand that Iraq destroy them

• African leaders meeting in Paris endorse France's position on Iraq

• The leaders of the UK's Catholic and Anglican churches call for inspections to be given more time