Turk PM to Speak to Cheney About Seized Soldiers

Reuters ^ | 7/6/03

[Ranger]

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan will speak to Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday about Turkish soldiers seized by U.S. forces in Iraq and hopes the incident will not inflame tensions between the NATO allies.

"I will have a conversation with Vice President Dick Cheney around 1630 Turkish time (1330 GMT)," the Turkish prime minister told reporters.

Erdogan accuses the United States of detaining 11 soldiers in northern Iraq on Friday. The U.S. military said on Sunday several soldiers thought to be Turks were in custody after a raid.

The arrests could mar efforts to improve ties between Ankara and Washington, which were strained after Turkey refused to let its U.S. ally to use Turkish soil to invade Iraq in March.

Turkish newspapers ran headlines such as "Ugly American" and said the soldiers had sacks put over their heads and their hands tied behind their backs "like al Qaeda terrorists."

Diplomatic sources in the Middle East said the U.S. arrested at least 20 people, 11 of whom were Turkish special forces.

They said one of those detained was a Turkish colonel, whom U.S. or British forces had expelled from Iraq twice previously for "suspicious activities."

The sources said there was evidence they were involved in a plot to kill the interim governor of Kirkuk, and a large number of weapons were confiscated.

Turkey has a few thousand troops in northern Iraq to pursue Turkish Kurdish guerrillas who fought in the 1980s and 1990s for a homeland in southeast Turkey.

Washington and northern Iraq's Kurdish groups want Turkey to withdraw the troops.

Erdogan said he hoped the matter would be resolved satisfactorily and "the positive air that has been developing between the United States and Turkey will not be overshadowed."

U.S. officials have not said why the Turks were detained. A Turkish newspaper said they were accused of plotting an attack on a senior Kurdish official in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

Erdogan said on Saturday some of the soldiers had been released, but government spokesman Cemil Cicek said after a crisis meeting on Sunday the 11 soldiers were part of a group of 24 people taken to Baghdad.

"It has been expressed (to Washington) that releasing our troops is the approach that would suit our friendship and alliance and these incidents must not be repeated," Cicek said.

"We reminded them of the ... public's sensitivity."

Turkish newspapers blasted the United States.

"Eyewitnesses report U.S. forces placed sacks on our soldiers' heads and tied their hands behind their backs like al Qaeda terrorists," the mainstream Milliyet newspaper said.

[Ranger]

Repeated by who? Turkey or the U.S.

[MEG33]

I feel there must be more to this story than we're hearing.The Turks are not being realistic in their insistance that they can pursue Kurd terrorists at will.If we want them out..it's for good reason.In the meantime the Kurds shouldn't stir up problems and go into Turkey.

[holyh2o]

Maybe it should go something like this, keep your soldiers out of Iraq period.

[Magnolia]

Comments?

Has Erdogan lived up to the expectations many had for his leadership? I was under the impression that he was pro-Western, but his actions since he took office seem to belie that assumption.

[meenie]

Has anyone picked up the fact that Turkey is a Muslim nation and that we are not too popular with Muslims at the present time? Should this enter into our thinking when we are trying to establish democracy in the Middle East and Afghanistan? I thought not. There are too many other problems to be solved and peacekeeping to be done.

[Magnolia]

Good question. It shouldn't. However, it's possible to be a Muslim country and not hate the U.S. Jordan and the Arab Emirates are good examples. Until recently Turkey was a staunch ally. Maybe a new generation of Turks has chosen differently.

[a_Turk]

>> Comments?

IMO, the US is making things difficult for herself. Turkish public opinion rendered tentative throughout the nineties is being forced into the red hereby. Someone is succeeding in ruining our alliance. We Turks should be prepared for designs on our sovereignty which will most likely be agressively pursued by our enemies should this alliance falter.

>> Has Erdogan lived up to the expectations many had for his leadership?

Not really, but the economy is doing much better. Inflation is down.

>> I was under the impression that he was pro-Western

Just like any other politician, he is pro-self. His party has not splintered, which a second vote (group vote) in parliament would most likely have achieved.

Someone is manipulating you. It's awesome to watch.. Sad too..

[Ranger]

Prior to recent months, I generally had a very favorable impression of Turkey. If recent trends continue, I don't see an alliance to salvage.

[a_Turk]

Neither do I. The quiet American whispers coming from behind the political curtains for the past ten years about the unnecessary alliance with Turkey is now coming loud and clear from the US public. US politicians who quietly screwed Turkey over the past decade are now urged to do so by the US public.

Usame is about to win. We, you and I, are about to lose. Good luck anyway though. Keep your feet warm and your head cool, as my Grandpa used to say..

[marron]

"They said one of those detained was a Turkish colonel, whom U.S. or British forces had expelled from Iraq twice previously for "suspicious activities."

I'm going back and re-reading some of the earlier material on the incident. Ping me if you find anything useful in the Turkish press (or anywhere else). So far the US gov seems to be very silent on the issue.

[marron]

So is Erdogan stirring trouble in Northern Iraq, or are we overreacting?

The article states "They said one of those detained was a Turkish colonel, whom U.S. or British forces had expelled from Iraq twice previously for 'suspicious activities'... The sources said there was evidence they were involved in a plot to kill the interim governor of Kirkuk, and a large number of weapons were confiscated. "

What is your reaction, is it true, is it possible, are we misinterpreting Turkish actions and intentions? I have to say, driving a wedge between the US and Turkey serves Islamist interests, EU interests, but it does harm to US interests and I believe, Turkish interests as well. Its a shame.