U.S., Turkey agree on supplies for N.Iraq troops

Reuters | 4/02/03

[kattracks]

U.S., Turkey agree on supplies for N.Iraq troops

ANKARA, April 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Wednesday he had agreed with NATO ally Turkey on a basis for shipping supplies for U.S. forces in northern Iraq through the country.

Powell, visiting Turkey to repair damage to relations done by Ankara's refusal to allow U.S. troops to attack Iraq from Turkey, said U.S. troops airlifted into Kurdish northern Iraq had stabilised the situation there and there was no cause for Turkey to send its troops into the region.

The United States fears any deployment of fresh Turkish troops could lead to conflict with local Kurdish groups and disrupt the U.S. war effort.

But Powell said Washington was now looking for help in supplying its forces in northern Iraq, estimated at a few thousand lightly-armed men.

"We have solved all the outstanding issues with respect to providing supplies through Turkey to those units that are doing such a wonderful job in northern Iraq to keep the situation in northern Iraq stable," Powell said at a news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

Gul said there was no need for a new parliamentary resolution to support the measures discussed with Powell.

Turkish opposition to the war on Iraq is strong and the ruling Justice and Development Party could face another parliamentary rebellion if it tries to win authority from the assembly. Turkey's parliament voted on March 1 against a government motion to allow 62,000 U.S. troops to deploy here.

Powell said the small U.S. force deployed inside northern Iraq had brought the stability needed to allay many of Turkey's fears for the region and head off the need for a Turkish incursion.

Turkey had warned it was ready to step into northern Iraq, fearing a refugee influx and "terrorism" from Turkish Kurd rebels based there. Ankara is also worried Iraqi Kurds may try to make a bid for independence, something the Kurds and their U.S. allies say is out of the question.

04/02/03 07:30 ET

[Just mythoughts]

Time will tell if Turkey holds to this.

Turkey has looked and sounded like mass confusion is in charge.

[a_Turk]

ANKARA (AFP) - The Turkish government has agreed to let the United States use its territory to resupply US forces in neighbouring, US Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed.

"We have solved all the outstanding issues with respect to providing supplies through Turkey to those units" in northern Iraq, Powell said Wednesday at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

---

The agreement centered around resupply lines to US units in Irak, humanitarian aid, search and rescue missions to be conducted out of Turkey, the evacuation of injured personnel to Turkey, Turkish involvement in the generation of a post war democracy in Irak, and Turkish involvement in the reconstruction efforts to be undertaken in post war Irak.

Foreign minister Gul asserted that this agreement did not require a new bill to be introduced to parliament.

Additionally, the US secretary of state tried to calm Turkish concerns that Kurdish control might extend southward to control the oil fields where a pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan originates.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Given the recent past, I'm not sure I'd trust them to honor this. Any pool on how many hours til they 'change' their mind?

[ET(end tyranny)]

Yeah. Outstanding issues were overcome. Hmmm wonder if this means it cost the US $92 billion to resolve these 'issues'. I'd laugh but it isn't funny.

[steveegg]

Can you say, "Days late and dollars short"?

[battlegearboat]

Hop on board "The Love train".

[magua]

this makes one in a row for powell.congrads maybe

[CatoRenasci]

While the Turks have been a real problem in this war, this is an important rebuilding step. Even more importantly, it is a signal to Syria not to go further. While there have been reports we're pulling aircraft out of Incirlik (close to Syria), we could have them back in in a trice. Should the Syrians get rambunctious, they would face not only American and Israeli airpower, Israeli and American ground troops in the South and East, but Turkish troops in the North. The Syrians would be completely isolated with NO sources of resupply or aid. In short, they would be in the same position as the Iraqis, with even more enemies. Young Assad had better rethink his support of Iraq, prontissimo.

[cynicom]

Turkey knows they overplayed their hand the last time around, now they are eager to settle for a crust of bread.

[Dog Gone]

Excellent news. This sure beats the heck out of trying to fly in fuel, water, and everything else needed for a northern front.

[Semper Paratus]

How much Baaksheesh did this take?

[shamusotoole]

"Additionally, the US secretary of state tried to calm Turkish concerns that Kurdish control might extend southward to control the oil fields where a pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan originates."

Excellent follow on article!

Do you think this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to overwhelm the PKK and get Turkey on the same page as the Kurds or is this not possible, in your opinion?

[Future Useless Eater]

Just like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown...

"Come on Charlie Brown! I won't pull the ball away this time!"

[Uncle Miltie]

Can we "resupply" with Tanks and Bradleys?

[Goodman26]

I hope someone asks Powell what he gave up for this. Probably A. lots of US taxpayer money and B. US agreement not to talk about or object to Turkish troops in Northern Iraq.

[EternalHope]

Seems like I've heard about things Turkey agreed to before...

At this point an agreement with Turkey has no credibility whatsoever. Since they cannot be counted on to keep their word, they are useless as an ally. Bases in Turkey are worse than useless, since they soak up resources that could be put to good use elsewhere.

Maybe what Powell really negotiated was removal of everything we have from Turkey. That would include "supplies". Since getting them out would require movement through Turkey, the information in the article would be technically correct.

[thinktwice]

I agree with your take on the Syria situation. Thank you for writing it.

[a_Turk]

>> Do you think this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to overwhelm the PKK and get Turkey on the same page as the Kurds?

I believe that this is an opportunity to clear Irak of terrorist entities which pose a threat to the US and Turkey. What will most likely happen, though, is that these will find shelter in Iran. Iran had been handed a dossier of intelligence, including satellite pictures, detailing terrorist PKK training camps, which they had vehemently denied.

Peace and security in Turkey are not in Iran's not Russia's interest, mostly because of present and future oil pipelines which transit Turkey pose competition to their oil industries.

As for Turkey getting on the same page with Kurds, that is already a reality, excepting the feudal monarchs and terrorists who have so much to lose by the democracy imminent in Irak. Kurds from northern Irak escaped to Turkey by the hundreds of thousands during the aftermath of Gulf War 1, which is an indication of trust. Reading the AP, Reuters, and AFP reports, however, you'd come to a different conclusion..

[RobbyS]

A lot of this has to do with American success. Reporters may be idiots, but Turkish generals are not.