TURKEY: Turkey yesterday delayed a vote on allowing US soldiers to deploy on its soil, hinting it first wanted Washington to put up billions more dollars in aid to offset economic damages in the event of a war against neighbouring Iraq.
The parliament was expected to vote later yesterday on a government motion to allow US soldiers to deploy in the country in preparation for a possible US military move into northern Iraq.
Without agreement on "political, economic and military questions" parliament will not adopt such a motion, said Prime Minister Mr Abdullah Gul, while his aides acknowleged that Ankara was under increasing pressure from Washington to make up its mind.
Deputy Prime Minister Mr Mehmet Ali Sahin said Ankara would send to Washington a new set of proposals on varying issues related to possible war in Iraq, Anatolia news agency reported. The government will consider sending a motion on US troop deployment to parliament only after a deal is reached with the US, the country's foreign minister, Mr Yasar Yakis, said.
"I cannot give you a date because the negotiations should be completed first. If the US is in a hurry, then the talks should be completed as soon as possible so that the remaining part of the calendar moves forward more speedily," Mr Yakis said.
Turkish newspapers suggested Washington had offered some $6 billion dollars (€5.6 billion) in grants and up to $20 billion in loan guarantees. Turkey could seek up to $50 billion, according to some reports.
The two sides had failed to agree on the amount of financial aid to be provided, according to Economy Minister Mr Ali Babacan after talks in Washington on Sunday.
He stressed that any deal between the two allies should be "very clear, very well defined - a document which will not leave room for any doubts".
Ankara worries a war against Iraq would deal a new blow to its economy, which has just started to recover from a severe recession, affecting the vital tourism sector and fragile macro-economic balances watched by the International Monetary Fund.
Turkey and the US are also at odds over who will command the troops that Ankara is planning to send into northern Iraq to prevent a refugee influx and thwart any independence move by breakaway Iraqi Kurds in the region.
Ankara has said Washington's suggestion that Turkish troops be place under US command was "insulting."