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Turkey opens airspace but blocks airbases
The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed last night that he will ask parliament to allow the US overflight rights for a war on Iraq but to deny the Americans use of their bases in Turkey. In a move scuppering plans for a heavily armoured "northern front" against Saddam Hussein, it is expected that the vote, due today, would not even allow US planes to refuel on Turkish soil. Can someone explain the grand design of the Turkish plan? The new motion will also include a request for parliament to authorise sending Turkish troops to northern Iraq where it is feared Iraqi Kurds may try to win independence, fuelling separatist sentiment among the 15 million-strong Kurdish population in Turkey. Iraqi Kurdish groups, meeting in Ankara, reiterated yesterday that such a move would be incendiary and warned of Turkish intervention sparking clashes with local forces. They aren't seriously edging towards war with us, are they? Under the proposed vote, the US would not be able to use Incirlik airbase, a facility that houses 50 US fighters used to patrol the no-fly zone over Iraq and a key hub in the Afghan conflict. Asked whether parliament's authorisation would include the right to use Turkish airbases, Mr Erdogan replied: "No, none of these are included." Last night Ankara said the possible basing of US combat troops on Turkish soil would be discussed at a later date. The use of Turkish airspace is a far cry from the crucial role Washington hoped its ally would play in any military action. Attacking from Turkey could have made a war swifter and, for US soldiers, potentially less bloody. A US official said the Muslim state now no longer qualified for the $15bn aid package agreed after weeks of intensive bargaining. Instead, it is believed, Washington has pledged to prop up Turkey's troubled economy through international institutions such as the IMF. Local financial markets tumbled in early trading yesterday, and stocks fell by almost 8%. The money is voting with its feet. Even opposition parliamentarians, who yesterday vowed to reject the new resolution, expressed relief that the US deployment drama was finally over. "Turkey's relationship with the United States goes back 50 years to the Korean war," Abdulkadir Ates, a prominent opposition politician, said. "One incident shouldn't jeopardise that." Guess again, Abdulkadir. And it isn't just one incident, it's now two. But political analysts beg to differ. Many said the ruling Islamic-orientated Justice and Development party had made Turkey pay a heavy price for its clumsy handling of the affair. Although it has not been ruled out that Turkey could still be used at a future stage of a war, most complained it was unlikely Ankara would be able to strike a deal of the kind previously reached. "What has happened is disastrous for Turkey... Its bargaining power has been nullified because the US has gone with other plans," Ilnur Cevink, a leading commentator, said. A US official said: "They're insisting on preserving their right in principle to go in but we've told the Turks this should not be their first option. As a possibility it is cause for great concern." "Great concern" = diplospeak for "don't do it." Posted by: Steve White 2003-03-20 |
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