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http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/10-10-19102-0-3-41.html The Herald (Scotland) October 10, 2002 Turkey offers bases if US foots the bill IAN BRUCE -The Turks are also seeking assurances that Kurdish extremists will not be allowed to set up a separate state on their border, and US support for rejecting Greek proposals for a federated solution on the divided island of Cyprus. -The use of Turkish bases as a springboard for a multi-pronged assault on Saddam Hussein's regime is seen as vital. More than 100 US and British aircraft already operate from Incirlik airbase near Adana to enforce the northern no-fly zone over Iraq. US special forces are understood to be inside the Kurdish enclave, advising the local anti-Saddam peshmerga militia fighters and paving the way for an advance on Baghdad via Turkey by conventional armoured units. TURKEY is willing to provide bases as a launching pad for a US-led invasion of Iraq - if the White House agrees to pick up the bill for higher-priced oil imports and the loss of tourist revenue during hostilities. Diplomats in Ankara estimate the impact of a regional conflict on the Turkish economy at �100bn over the next decade. Support for the 1991 Gulf campaign cost it �65bn. The Turks are also seeking assurances that Kurdish extremists will not be allowed to set up a separate state on their border, and US support for rejecting Greek proposals for a federated solution on the divided island of Cyprus. The Turkish general staff has ordered its second army headquarters, the command group responsible for security along its border with Iraq, to carry out an assessment of whether it needs reinforcements to guarantee the protection of Turkish territory. The move is aimed at controlling the exodus of up to 500,000 refugees from northern Iraq once the fighting starts. The Turkish Red Crescent Society, the equivalent of the Red Cross, favours preparations for setting up four giant camps inside Kurdish-controlled territory in northern Iraq to house, feed and provide medical care for civilians displaced by fighting. The use of Turkish bases as a springboard for a multi-pronged assault on Saddam Hussein's regime is seen as vital. More than 100 US and British aircraft already operate from Incirlik airbase near Adana to enforce the northern no-fly zone over Iraq. US special forces are understood to be inside the Kurdish enclave, advising the local anti-Saddam peshmerga militia fighters and paving the way for an advance on Baghdad via Turkey by conventional armoured units. The Turks, who benefit from cheap oil smuggled out of Iraq to beat UN sanctions, are drawing up a list of formal demands to be presented to the US. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.turkishdailynews.com/FrTDN/latest/for.htm#f8 Turkish Daily News October 10, 2002 TUSIAD urges US to compensate Turkey's future losses from Iraqi operation -The delegation of the Turkish businessmen, comprising of top-level executives of the leading business group Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), met Marc Grossman, the U.S. Department of State's undersecretary, Dan Fried of the U.S. National Security Council, Richard Perle, an advisor to the Pentagon, and four Congress members. A group of representatives from the leading business group tell US officials that Turkey might lose almost $15 billion in the first year following a possible attack on Iraq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A delegation of leading Turkish businessmen told U.S. officials in Washington that the Washington administration should compensate losses that Turkey could incur as a result of a possible attack on Iraq. The Turkish economy was indeed one of the losers of the Gulf War in the early 1990s. Turkey lost a considerable amount of income it had obtained from its tourism sector and saw a huge decrease in its foreign trade revenues after the lucrative Iraqi market was lost due to an international embargo on this country. The delegation of the Turkish businessmen, comprising of top-level executives of the leading business group Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), met Marc Grossman, the U.S. Department of State's undersecretary, Dan Fried of the U.S. National Security Council, Richard Perle, an advisor to the Pentagon, and four Congress members. The delegation is in Washington for a two-day visit. TUSIAD businessmen told the U.S. officials in their meetings that the Turkish economy was likely to suffer from serious losses particularly in the short term, said the Anatolia news agency. The delegation relied on estimates included in a report prepared by the Turkish-Iraqi Business Council. This report said Turkey was expected to incur a $14.2-billion loss in the first year following a possible U.S.-led operation on Iraq. The U.S. officials said they had "taken note of TUSIAD's demand" for compensation of Turkey's future losses. The Turkish delegation also thanked the United States administration for its efforts to convince the European Union to set a date to start accession talks with Turkey. These efforts should be intensified in the weeks and months to come, said the TUSIAD delegation and the U.S. officials pledged full support in this regard. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
