Turkey keeps US guessing on troops

TURKEY entered into a political war of nerves with the United States yesterday when it signalled it was delaying a decision on allowing US troops to deploy on Turkish soil for a possible invasion of Iraq.

Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters at a European Union emergency summit on Iraq his government would not ask parliament to open military bases to American forces today as it had previously said it would.

“We are not going to the Turkish parliament (today),” Mr Gul said. “We have some concerns on economic issues, political issues and military issues. First of all the Turkish government should be satisfied on those.”

The US had made it clear it expected a decision from parliament today on permitting the deployments for a secondary “northern front” military experts say would make any action against Baghdad quicker and, for Washington, less costly.

“There is a plan that doesn’t involve a northern front,” one Western diplomat said. “The Americans may be approaching a point where they must make a decision there. They feel time is short.”

Mr Gul said earlier he would talk to officials in Washington to iron out differences and was quoted by a Greek government spokesman as telling Greek premier Costas Simitis the bill would be put to parliament “in the next few days”.

Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said Turkey would not open its territory to US forces without an agreement on financial aid.

“The question of whether or not we send the proposal (to parliament) will come on to the agenda only after an agreement. I can’t give a time because first we have to reach an agreement,” Mr Yakis said.

Down on the Iraqi border, military sources said Turkish and US military officials were meeting Iraqi Kurdish groups who control northern Iraq.

The talks were aimed at easing tension between Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds that could hamper any US action.

Mr Gul has acknowledged that ultimately Ankara must back its closest NATO ally but is seeking guarantees for its own security. If Ankara fails to reach terms with Washington quickly, the northern front could possibly be abandoned and along with it a US financial package to cushion Turkey’s economy.

“There are certain points we give importance to. Without reaching an agreement on those it will be difficult to persuade parliament,” Mr Gul said.

Turkey is seeking a financial package, which analysts say could total between $4 billion and $15 billion.

“There are issues in the economic, political and military spheres where we don’t yet see eye-to-eye,” Economy Minister Ali Babacan said.

“We want documents that are very clear and complete to remove all doubts,” Mr Babacan said.