Turkey still undecided on US troops

RULING party leader Tayyip Erdogan was installed as Turkish prime minister yesterday, keeping US hopes alive that Turkey might approve deployment of American troops for an invasion of Iraq.

But outgoing foreign minister Yasar Yakis indicated that any parliamentary vote on the US troop deal would only occur after a government vote of confidence, meaning a motion was unlikely to be presented until late next week at the earliest. Erdogan’s formal establishment as premier followed a day of confusion likely to have dismayed US officials, who see time running ou t for a decision on troops. President George W Bush sent a letter to Erdogan on Thursday seeking a swift decision, The United States could yet abandon plans to use Turkish soil. If so, Turkey would forfeit a vital multi-billion dollar aid package to shield it against the economic impact of war.