Around 250 U.S. troops bound for Turkey arrived at a Romanian air base near the Black Sea port of Constanta, part of a buildup of forces for a possible war on Iraq, officials said Friday. The troops, who arrived aboard four Hercules C-130s late on Thursday at the Kogalniceanu airport, are awaiting Ankara's permission to move to Turkey. Romanian Defense Ministry sources said the troops, sent by the U.S. European Command, were the first contingent of American forces bound for Turkey to arrive in Romania. "The U.S. troops will remain here until Monday," Public Administration Minister Octav Cozmanca said. "We were informed by U.S. authorities that more U.S. planes are coming." American officials in Bucharest confirmed the news but would not say how many troops were expected. "Additional U.S. soldiers and equipment will arrive over the course of next days," Mark Wenig, spokesman of the US embassy in Bucharest told Reuters. NATO aspirant Romania has offered Washington its air bases and the Black Sea port of Constanta for refueling of warplanes and transport of troops. Wenig said a U.S. team of experts who visited Romania earlier this week approved "possible temporary use of the Kogalniceanu air base" in the event of hostilities in Iraq."
Thank you, Romania. |