Posted on 07/17/2002 3:37:22 AM PDT by kattracks
ANKARA, Turkey, Jul 17, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Turkish leaders have told a top U.S. official that they would agree to U.S. military action against Iraq as long as it does not lead to an independent Kurdish state or hurt Turkey's frail economy, reports said Wednesday. U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, the Pentagon's No. 2 official, met with top Turkish leaders Tuesday and Wednesday to lobby for support for U.S. action to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Turkish leaders have been opposed to U.S. action against Saddam and reacted coolly to the Wolfowitz visit. But Turkey is in desperate need of foreign loans to recover from a deep financial crisis and is likely to have little choice but to agree to U.S. action.
Turkish backing would be crucial to any action against Iraq.
Turkey was a launching pad for U.S. strikes against Iraq during the Gulf War and still hosts some 50 U.S. warplanes enforcing a no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
Turkey would agree to military action against Iraq if the United States publicly gave assurances that a Kurdish state would not be created in northern Iraq and that the military action would not harm Turkey's frail economy, the Hurriyet newspaper reported.
During a meeting with Wolfowitz, Turkey's military Chief of Staff, Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, questioned how the United States was planning to prevent the creation of a Kurdish state, daily Sabah reported.
Turkey also asked the United States to write off its dlrs 5 billion military debt and insisted that the regime change in Baghdad should be acceptable to the Iraqi people, Hurriyet said.
Turkey fears that the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq could encourage Kurdish rebels who fought for 15 years for autonomy inside Turkey.
Kurds already rule an autonomous zone in northern Iraq.
Wolfowitz on Tuesday assured Turkish leaders that Washington was firmly opposed to a Kurdish state in northern Iraq.
Turkey also warned that the oil rich areas of Mosul and Kirkuk in northern Iraq should not be put under the control of Iraqi Kurds, Hurriyet said. The areas are just outside the autonomous Kurdish zone.
Turkey says it has lost more than dlrs 35 billion in trade with its southern neighbor following a trade embargo imposed on Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War. Turkey is suffering from a deep economic crisis and is worried that military action could hurt its already frail economy.
Wolfowitz's trip comes amid calls by President George W. Bush for Saddam's removal.
Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
Thanks for the post.
I can't blame Turkey for wanting assurances their economy won't suffer if they participate in a war effort. Clearly we need their cooperation for any attack on Iraq.
Turkish leaders publicly have opposed U.S. action against Saddam and had reacted coolly to the Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's visit to lobby Turkish leaders for support. But Turkey is in desperate need of foreign loans to recover from a deep financial crisis and is likely to have little choice but to agree to U.S. action.
Turkey asked the United States to write off its $5 billion military debt and insisted that regime change in Baghdad should be acceptable to the Iraqi people, the daily Hurriyet newspaper reported. It also said Wolfowitz was asked for public guarantees that a Kurdish state would not be created in northern Iraq and that the military action would not harm Turkey's frail economy.
If Iraq becomes a democratic state, ``it won't be only the people of Iraq who benefit from this, but it would be the whole world, and very much this region ... Turkey stands to benefit enormously if Iraq becomes a normal country,'' said Wolfowitz, the Pentagon's No. 2 official who met with top Turkish leaders Tuesday and Wednesday.
Turkey was a key base for U.S. warplanes during the Gulf War which drove Iraqi troops out of Kuwait. NATO-member Turkey still is base to 50 U.S. fighter jets enforcing a no-fly zone over northern Iraq to protect Kurds who have an autonomous zone there from retribution from Baghdad.
During a meeting with Wolfowitz, Turkey's military Chief of Staff, Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, questioned how the United States was planning to prevent the creation of a Kurdish state, the daily Sabah reported. Turkey fears a Kurdish state in northern Iraq could encourage Kurdish rebels who have fought for 15 years for autonomy inside Turkey.
The news reports said Wolfowitz assured Turkish leaders the United States was firmly opposed to a Kurdish state.
Turkey also warned that the oil rich areas of Mosul and Kirkuk in northern Iraq should not be put under the control of Iraqi Kurds, Hurriyet said. The areas are just outside the autonomous Kurdish zone.
I don't know about a flood of dollars, but some assistance is probably required and IMO justified if Turkey suffers financially as a result of cooperating with us on prosecuting our war against Saddam-baby. We'll all be more secure with that slug and his supporters out of power (or worse.)
Bush understands the cost of purchasing allies. There never was any intent to set up an autonomous Kurdish state. Rather, the Kurds will have their own federal region in post-Saddam federal Iraq, ruled by local Kurds, of course.
Ankara is going through some tough economic times. She'll be aided by the U.S.. Don't be surprised if a free trade agreement isn't in the offing.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
This is impossible. It is unrealistic and the Turks know it. Their concern is that independence there will foment hope for nationalist aspirations of Kurds in Turkey. Moreover, how can Iraqi Kurdish help be enlisted without promises of independence? The most which can be offered is that the U.S. will side with Turkey in its position with respect to Turkish Kurds. A fair trade-off.
independent Kurdish stateSoon as one is created, we'll annex it.
An independent Kurdish state would control a lot of water in a very dry region. Kurdistan is where a lot of the rain falls in the Middle East.
Personally, I think the route of an independent Kurdish state is the proper direction. However, your idea has possibilities.
A federal Turkey which included a predominantly Kurdish state in the former N. Iraq and included those oil rich regions just to the south of the automomous zone would make a lot of sense.
There would have to be extreme attention during the creation of the federation to insuring the equality of opportunity for all Turkish states and the subordination of none of them.
Perhaps the fear that it would serve as a base for Kurdish terror groups a la the way PA zones serve as bases for Palestinian terrorists.
More than likely, there is no other way.
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