NATO member Turkey said today it had granted a US request to use Turkish airspace and airbases for US transport aircraft in any response to the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington.
The prime minister said the Turkish government had responded positively to an American request to use Turkish airspace and Turkish airbases for US transport aircraft whenever necessary, a statement issued by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's offices said.
The statement, outlining the contents of a letter Mr Ecevit sent yesterday to President George W Bush, also said that Turkey favoured sharing intelligence with the United States on the state of play among a diverse group of anti-Taliban forces mainly in the north of Afghanistan.
Turkey will increase the equipment, training and other assistance that it has been giving to the Northern Alliance, the statement added.