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Turk troop deployment in Iraq not tied to UN resolution
Turkeyâs decision on whether to send troops to Iraq will not depend on a UN resolution allowing for an international peacekeeping force in the war-ravaged country, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Sunday. He stressed, however, that Ankara would welcome any such move by the UN Security Council, which many here hope will help soften Iraqi opposition to a possible Turkish deployment in their country. âTurkey attaches great importance to this, but does not tie everything to a UN condition,â Gul told reporters before flying to New York for the annual gatherings of the UN General Assembly. Ankara will finally decide whether to contribute troops in response to a US request for help to pacify its increasingly turbulent neighbour once parliament returns from summer recess on October 1, Gul said. The Turkish constitution requires parliamentary approval to send soldiers abroad. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, backed by the influential army, is willing to contribute up to 10,000 troops, but has refrained from taking a decision because of strong objections from Iraqi leaders and from public opinion at home.Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-09-22 |
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