Turkey’s foreign minister said Friday that a “broad agreement” has been reached with the United States on basing American soldiers here for a possible Iraq war, although some details still must be resolved.
Secretary of State Colin Powell and a Western diplomat also said progress was being made. But Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said a final agreement may still be days off on approving the deployment. An accord would make it possible for U.S. forces to mount a powerful offensive in northern Iraq aimed at dividing Saddam Hussein’s military.
Turkey’s announcement came as UN weapons inspectors gave Iraq until March 1 to begin destroying dozens of missiles deemed to exceed range restrictions. Chief inspector Hans Blix said that if Iraq refuses to comply, he is prepared to declare Baghdad in “material breach” of obligations to rid itself of weapons of mass destruction, a verdict that could give the United States the votes it needs in the UN Security Council for military action against Iraq.
Of more immediate concern to Washington, however, was Turkey’s decision on troop deployments. Washington and Ankara had been discussing for days Turkey’s request for $10 billion in grants as well as demands that Turkey be allowed to send troops into northern Iraq to maintain stability if there is an invasion. The latter issue is extremely sensitive in Turkey, where there are fears that a war could spark Iraqi Kurds to declare an independent state, encouraging Turkey’s own Kurdish minority.
“I am optimistic that an agreement will be reached,” Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis told The Associated Press.
Earlier, Yakis told CNN International that Turkey and the United States had reached “a very broad agreement on all subjects. The remaining issues are not that many, but I think we will be able to overcome the differences and mutually agree.”
Focus on Kurds, U.S. aid
“There are several points on which we asked the American side for clarifications,” Yakis said. “The emergence of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq is one of the very important questions” in the talks.
Powell said Friday that the two countries will work intensively over the next three days on their differences. He said the United States’ offer of $6 billion in aid stands, although the two sides are looking to see “how much flexibility there is.”
“We believe the possibility exists for the Turkish government to take this to their parliament early next week,” Powell said.
U.S. officials have said that the Turkish delays threaten to undermine war plans.
Gul said he expected a result “in the coming days,” but Yakis said it was not certain parliament would be ready to vote on an agreement when it meets in its next session Tuesday.
The statements came amid rising tensions between the United States and NATO’s only Muslim member. Turkey’s parliament had been expected to vote Tuesday on permitting the entry of American soldiers — a date already almost two weeks later than the United States had wanted.
Cargo ships off Turkey’s coast
In Ankara, U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) met with Turkey’s top politician, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and emphasized the U.S. desire for a quick decision, pointing out that cargo ships carrying tanks for the 4th Infantry division were waiting off the Turkish coast, according to a spokesman for Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.
If Turkey refused the U.S. request, the supplies would be moved to the Persian Gulf to strengthen U.S. forces in that region, the spokesman said. But the delays continued Friday.
An overwhelming majority of Turks — some opinion polls say up to 94 percent — oppose a war, and Turkey’s government is balking at taking the unpopular step of letting in U.S. troops. On the other hand, Turkey faces intense U.S. pressure to accept a deal and cannot afford to alienate Washington, whose political and economic support is crucial.
The talks involve Turkey’s request for about $10 billion in aid to support the Turkish economy if there is a war. Turkey says a war would devastate its tourism industry — it brings in about $10 billion a year — and that it would lose another billion in lost trade with Iraq.
The United States is offering about $6 billion, and in an effort to break the deadlock, suggested that some of that money could be used to guarantee loans for Turkey, a Western diplomat said Thursday. The diplomat said that $1 billion in grants could guarantee $6 billion to $10 billion in loans, depending on the length and interest of the loan.
Washington also insists that the loans be linked to economic changes backed by the International Monetary Fund. Turkey wants the U.S. aid to be independent of those conditions.
At the United Nations on Friday, Blix’s demand that Iraq destroy its Al Samoud 2 missiles was greeted by diplomats with skepticism that Hussein would comply on the eve of a possible U.S.-led invasion.
Skepticism on missile demand
“I should think that a few weeks away from war, they wouldn’t want to blow them up,” said a senior UN official.
Blix has met with four of the five permanent members of the Security Council this week. But so far, some members, especially Russia, say the missile infraction alone is not enough to justify war and that inspectors are coming under great pressure to provide a “pretext” for an attack.
It was the Iraqis who alerted the inspectors to the missiles. In its Dec. 7 arms declaration, Iraq noted that in some tests, the Al Samoud 2 missiles exceeded the UN-mandated 93-mile limit.
Along with the missiles, 380 illegally imported missile engines and missile casting chambers also must be destroyed, Blix said in an official letter. Blix handed the letter to Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed al-Douri in his office at UN headquarters during an hourlong meeting and distributed it later to the Security Council’s 15 members.
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Iraq timetable
Upcoming events in the crisis over banned weapons in Iraq:
– Early next week: The United States and Britain plan to present a new resolution to the Security Council in a bid to gain support for using force to disarm Iraq.
– March 1: Iraq must begin destroying dozens of missiles deemed to exceed range restrictions.
– Written report due to the Security Council from chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix on the progress of inspections in Iraq.
– Arabs leaders to hold a summit in Cairo.
– March 7: Security Council meeting on Iraq tentatively scheduled.
– April 11: Next report from UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei due to the council.
