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Today’s Turkish News
These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 21, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The government has started to make a direct bargaining with the U.S. Treasury about the losses that Turkish economy would suffer in case of an operation against Iraq. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''about this issue, we are bargaining not with the IMF and the World Bank but with the U.S. Treasury Department.'' Meanwhile, State Minister Ali Babacan said he had been holding telephone conversations about the Iraq issue for a few times a week with the U.S. Secretary of Treasury. He said, ''what kind of a package would be prepared for the Iraq issue with the U.S. Treasury will be given shape according to talks. Important progress was recorded. Maybe it would be a donation or a specific amount of loan.''
"Small bills, non-sequential, leave it under the park bench"
A strict bargaining was made on the number of U.S. soldiers to be deployed in Turkey with U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers who spent 18 hours in Ankara. The United States decreased the number of soldiers to 15 thousand while Ankara insisted on a number below 10 thousand. Ankara gave the message of ''decrease your demands to reasonable levels.'' During Myers' 18-hour stay in Ankara, two important files were brought onto the agenda. Ankara maintained its insistence that the number of U.S. soldiers to be deployed in Turkey should not exceed 10 thousand while it gave the message that it would bring the decision on other demands to the parliament after the U.N. resolution on January 27.
Not more than 10 thousand in Turkey, is that total or at one time? How about we fly in 9000, then after they are across the border, we bring in 9000 more? That work for you?
Babekir Bedirhan, the military commander of Bahdinan region that is controlled by Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani in Northern Iraq, said that the number of Turkish soldiers in the region was exaggerated. Bedirhan said, ''the number of Turkish soldiers deployed in Amadiye town, Bamerni Airport, Sersing and Sirye regions that are 30 kilometers from the border was almost five hundred. This number has currently increased a little. Turkey exists here for its security.'' Turkish-CNN team and DHA correspondent entered Northern Iraq and televised existence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq. Here are the Turkish troops in four bases in Northern Iraq:
''BAMERNI: 15 tanks, 15 armored vehicles; KANIMASI: 15 tanks, 15 armored vehicles, 150 soldiers; AMADIYE: 2 tanks, 2 armored vehicles; SIHRIYE: 2 tanks, 2 armored vehicles''.
Of course, that's the ones they were allowed to report on.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers who came to Ankara after visiting Incirlik base met with General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok at dinner two days ago. Ozkok gave Myers who stressed importance of northern front and repeated demands for support of Turkey the message that ''decrease your demands to reasonable level.'' At the meeting, the report that U.N. weapon inspectors will present on January 26 and determination of existence of chemical and biological weapons in Iraq were discussed. Within this scope, Myers stressed importance of Turkey and northern front in operation to overthrow Saddam Hussein and repeated their demands. Ozkok gave him the message that ''decrease your demands to reasonable level. A new list of demands should be negotiated.'' Myers was told that use of all of the bases and ports where site-survey by U.S. experts was allowed was impossible and that only Diyarbakir, Batman and Incirlik bases might suffice such an operation. It was mentioned that the demand for number of U.S. soldiers to be deployed in Turkey was decreased from 120 thousand to 25 thousand in the meetings but Myers was told that even this number was unacceptable for Turkish public opinion. Holding a press conference prior to his departure from Ankara, Myers said that there was not a lack of cooperation between Turkey and the United States.
They seem pretty firm on this point. Seen the same report from a lot of sources.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers defended that they concentrated mass of weapons and troops in the region in order to assist the U.N. activities and settle peace. Myers said they were patiently waiting for support decision of Ankara, adding, ''cooperation will continue.'' Meanwhile, the General Staff gave Myers the message that, ''we cannot meet all of your military demands. You should better decrease your demands.'' At the meetings, it was adopted that Turkey and the United States would cooperate with the aim to have the NATO take a decision on an operation against Iraq.
NATO is supposed to have agreed to protect Turkey from an Iraqi counter-attack.
French Ambassador in Ankara Bernard Garcia said that a military operation against Iraq could come onto the agenda as the last alternative only after all solution efforts through political ways were exhausted. Garcia said they did not think it right for the United States to give the start for military preparations in Turkey before completion of U.N. weapon inspectors' report. Noting that there was not a condition like Turkey's contribution to an operation against Iraq for IMF support, Garcia said defended that influence of Europe within the IMF was two-fold of the influence of the United States. Stressing that war hampered reforms, Garcia said that war might slow down Turkey's integration with the EU.
Is that a threat? After you said no to Turkey last time they were up for membership in the EU, I don't think you have much leverage.
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul sent a letter to U.S. President George Bush and stressed that the government was determined to continue the economic program without disruption. Gul also said improvement of bilateral relations with the United States would accelerate this process.
"Is the check in the mail, George?"
Foreign ministers of Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria are expected to come together prior to a meeting that Turkey plans to host to seek peaceful ways to solve Iraq issue with participation of heads of state and government of these five countries. Foreign ministers of Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria would come together with Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis on January 23 or 24. However, bargainings are under way between Ankara and Arab countires on place of this summit meeting. Foreign Minister Yakis said that talks on ''whether or not the meeting in question would be held in Turkey or Damascus'' were continuing with sister countries. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said that Ankara summit would be held in level of heads of state and government while Damascus meeting would be held in level of foreign ministers. Diplomatic sources said foreign ministers would prepare philosophical infrastructure of the initiative and that the meeting of heads of state and government would be built on that infrastructure.
OK, they have not yet decided on where the meetings will take place, and there are two meetings. Glad they cleared that up.
Posted by: Steve 2003-01-21
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=9445