| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| Turkish News Roundup |
| 2003-03-24 |
| MYERS: WE USE TURKISH AIRSPACE Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Turkish airspace was first used on March 22 to transport U.S. soldiers to Northern Iraq. Pointing out that they opposed to entrance of the Turkish forces in Northern Iraq apart from preventing refugee inflow, Gen. Myers said no such refugee inflow has been seen so far, stating that thus there was no need for the Turkish soldiers to enter. Speaking at a tv program in ABC television, Myers said they used the Turkish airspace on March 22 night. He said in fact technically they were not the first U.S. soldiers in Northern Iraq, but that they were the first soldiers who entered the region following the permission which had been taken in the Turkish Parliament. TWO TOMAHAWKS FELL ON SANLIURFA Two missiles on Sunday fell on two villages in Viransehir and Birecik townships of southeastern Sanliurfa province. Firstly, it was thought that the missiles fell from planes, but later it was claimed that they could be the two Tomahawk Cruise missiles which were launched from the war ships in the Mediterranean. The first missile fell near Ozveren village in Birecik township at around 17.30 local time. This was an area that is 500 meters away from the village houses. The villagers called the gendarme to inform about the incident. The gendarme forces saw the missile which opened a four meters wide and one meter deep hole, but did not explode. Immediately after this incident, news report that another bomb fell from a warplane near Ayakli village in Viransehir township. Officials, who went to the spot, found another missile which stuck in the soil. Warheads don't arm till they reach target area. EOD will be busy rounding these up. NO REFUGEE INFLOW FROM THE NORTH Prime Ministry Crisis Administration Center said no refugee inflow toward Turkey was observed. The center stressed that activities targeting preparation for humanitarian aid continued. Meanwhile, Cukurca Mayor Mehmet Kanar, who pointed out that he talked to Northern Iraq by phone everyday, stated that the peshmerga families he talked there told him that they did not think of migrating to Turkey, and that they would shelter in mosques and schools in case they are in a difficult situation. No stream of refugees into Turkey, no need for Turkish troops. Bet the Kurds put the word out. âNEGOTIATIONS ARE CONTINUING WITH US OFFICIALS OVER NORTHERN IRAQ" Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that negotiations with US officials on coordinating the countriesâ respective roles in northern Iraq were continuing, stressing that Turkey would decide through its own will on whether or not to enter northern Iraq. âThere is nothing negative in our talks with the Americans,â said Gul. âEverything is moving forward with coordination and mutual understanding." US troop activities in Turkey are continuing within the framework of Parliamentâs permission and cooperation regarding humanitarian aid will continue in the future as well, he remarked. Gul added that Turkey had permitted a C-130 plane to land at Incirlik Airbase the previous day as it had carried wounded personnel. In related news, Gul yesterday had telephone conversations with his German and Greek counterparts, Joschka Fischer and George Papandreou, to convey Turkeyâs stance on the Iraq war. In addition, Gul sent a message to Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa during the leagueâs current Cairo, Egypt summit laying out Turkeyâs Iraq policy. PEARSON VISITS FOREIGN MINISTRY TO DISCUSS NORTHERN IRAQ, TURKISH SIDE SEES âSOFTENINGâ US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson yesterday visited the Foreign Ministry to discuss the issue of Turkeyâs role in northern Iraq. During meetings with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Ambassador Deniz Bolukbasi, the two sides reportedly held preliminary talks on Turkeyâs possible entrance into northern Iraq. Whereas Pearson reiterated US concerns that Turkeyâs entrance might cause trouble with the regionâs Kurds and endanger the US-led war, the Turkish side reportedly saw signs of a softening of the US position on the issue. The talks are due to continue today with the participation of Zalmay Khalilzad, US President George W. Bushâs envoy to the Iraqi opposition. KHALILZAD TO ARRIVE IN TURKEY TO DISCUSS NORTHERN IRAQ US presidential envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is set to arrive in Ankara today to meet with Foreign Ministry officials to discuss a number of issues, among them Turkeyâs entering northern Iraq, a move which the US has expressed opposition to. During the bilateral talks, the size and role of Turkish forces entering the region are expected to be discussed. How about none? US PULLS BACK NORTHERN FRONT PREPARATIONS FROM TURKEY After the Pentagon formally abandoned plans Saturday to open a northern front through Turkey in the Iraq war, dozens of American ships waiting off Turkeyâs Iskenderun and Mersin Mediterranean seaports started to head to the Persian Gulf yesterday. The US also started pulling back logistical stockpiles in southeastern Turkey. Thanks for nothing, Turkey. BUSH: âTHE US HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT DOESNâT WANT A TURKISH MILITARY PRESENCE IN NORTHERN IRAQâ Speaking yesterday at the White House after meeting with his war advisors in Camp David, US President George W. Bush reiterated his administrationâs policy against Turkish forces entering northern Iraq. âThe US is making it very clear that it does not want a Turkish military presence in northern Iraq,â he told journalists. âThey know our policy, and it's a firm policy, and, they know we're working with the Kurds to make sure there's not an incident with the Turkish military.â However, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged over the weekend to send Turkish troops into the region, saying, "The presence of our troops will be a source of security and stability both for Turkey and the region." Not taking no for an answer. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 other articles today noting lite resistance in Baghdad and Iraqi soldiers in the North were shooting Iraqi soldiers trying to defect to the Kurds. (Sgt. Stryker had the scoop), support this idea. May also be why Russia is starting to freak and make statements (threats?) with Cuba. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-24 13:48:32 |
| #6 I wonder if the reason we are facing more fighting in South is because Sadaam knew Turkey would deny the front. We expected the more loyal units to be closer to Baghdad - due to the threat of a northern front. If so, it's a decision they will regret because it means that there will be less resistance in the North where we expected it. Ha! I think Sadaam offered France, Russia and Turkey REEEAAALLY good deals prior to the start of the war - how else to explain their actions? They thought they would be able to prevent US allied cooperation into the war through the UN hoopla, legality issues, and then finally, a grave blow from the prior knowledge of the denial of the Turkish front. How Turkey, France and Russia must have rubbed their greedy little hands in anticipation of laughing at US all the way to the bank. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-24 12:58:01 |
| #5 If you want to believe Stratfor, Ankara will be bankrupt by the summer. Perhaps they were getting ready to make their own oil grab to shore up the public exchequer? Or perhaps the deal was we give up the northern oil fields if we get the fast track into the EU. The simplest explanation is that they're overreaching and making this up as they go along. Just like everybody else. |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2003-03-24 12:19:19 |
| #4 Does anyone have the slightest notion what Turkey's goal is ? What do they think they will achieve in the end ? No US aid, bad relations with the US, harder time joining the EU, a strong Kurdish Iraqi province, etc, etc. Maybe there is nothing else they CAN do, except watch and try to shore up the border areas with some troops. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-03-24 12:03:40 |
| #3 I think the two missiles landed exactly where aimed at. Like a love letter, something like: 'Dear Love, DO NOT move'. |
| Posted by: Poitiers 2003-03-24 11:36:26 |
| #2 I wonder if the reason we are facing more fighting in South is because Sadaam knew Turkey would deny the front. We expected the more loyal units to be closer to Baghdad - due to the threat of a northern front. If so, it's a decision they will regret because it means that there will be less resistance in the North where we expected it. Ha! I think Sadaam offered France, Russia and Turkey REEEAAALLY good deals prior to the start of the war - how else to explain their actions? They thought they would be able to prevent US allied cooperation into the war through the UN hoopla, legality issues, and then finally, a grave blow from the prior knowledge of the denial of the Turkish front. How Turkey, France and Russia must have rubbed their greedy little hands in anticipation of laughing at US all the way to the bank. |
| Posted by: becky 3/24/2003 12:58:01 PM |
| #1 I think the two missiles landed exactly where aimed at. Like a love letter, something like: 'Dear Love, DO NOT move'. |
| Posted by: Poitiers 3/24/2003 11:36:26 AM |