USA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL HAS SAID THE U.S. EXPECTS TO HEAR BACK FROM TURKEY ON WHETHER IT ACCEPTS A FINAL U.S. OFFER OF AID IN EXCHANGE FOR BASING RIGHTS FOR A POSSIBLE INVASION OF IRAQ
Record ID:
222997
USA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL HAS SAID THE U.S. EXPECTS TO HEAR BACK FROM TURKEY ON WHETHER IT ACCEPTS A FINAL U.S. OFFER OF AID IN EXCHANGE FOR BASING RIGHTS FOR A POSSIBLE INVASION OF IRAQ
- Title: USA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL HAS SAID THE U.S. EXPECTS TO HEAR BACK FROM TURKEY ON WHETHER IT ACCEPTS A FINAL U.S. OFFER OF AID IN EXCHANGE FOR BASING RIGHTS FOR A POSSIBLE INVASION OF IRAQ
- Date: 20th February 2003
- Summary: (EU) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 20, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ROBERTSON AND U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL WALKING TOWARDS PODIUM/MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 0.12 2. MCU (English) POWELL SAYING "Our position was firm with respect to the kind of assistance we could provide with respect to the level. There may be some other creative things we can do but the level was our ceiling. And I know that they are in consultation now within their government, within their council of ministers and I expect to hear back from them before the day is out." 0.36 3. SV POWELL AND ROBERTSON STANDING BEFORE REPORTERS 0.40 4. MCU (English) POWELL TALKING ABOUT UPCOMING TRIP TO ASIA, SAYING: "The situation in North Korea will be a subject of considerable interest and discussion, but I cannot say to you now that we have found a way to arrange a meeting -- a multilateral meeting to consider the North Korean situation. But the United States and China does have a shared view that the North Korean nuclear program is not acceptable and that the Korean Peninsula must not have nuclear weapons, and that is a position that President Bush and President Jiang Zemin took publicly when President Jiang Zemin visited Crawford. And then, of course, I think the highlight of the trip will be the inauguration of President Roh in Seoul next Tuesday, and I'm very much looking forward to returning to Seoul for that occasion/POWELL AND ROBERTSON LEAVING 1.48 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th March 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA3014EMXTH9QBMWNHHIJGXUP75
- Story Text: United States Secretary of State Colin Powell has said
the U.S. expects to hear back from Turkey by the end of
Thursday on whether it accepts a final U.S. offer of aid in
exchange for basing rights in Turkey for a possible invasion
of Iraq.
United States (U.S.) Secretary of State Colin Powell
told reporters on Thursday (February 20) that the U.S. offer
was as high as the United States could go. Officials have said
it amounts to 6 billion U.S. dollars (USD) in grants and
guarantees for 20 billion USD in loans.
"There may be some other creative things we can do but the
level was our ceiling.... I expect to hear back from them
before the day is out but I have nothing further to report
there," said Powell, speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General
George Robertson at the State Department.
Turkish Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis appeared on Thursday
to hold out the possibility Turkey could open bases to U.S.
troops without a second United Nations resolution authorising
use of force against neighbouring Iraq.
Washington and Ankara have been negotiating over the use
of Turkey's military facilities in any Iraq war. The
government has delayed a parliamentary vote as it seeks
billions of dollars in U.S. aid as well as a role for its own
military in Iraq.
Turkey has insisted the U.N. Security Council sanction any
use of force against Iraq with another resolution. Washington
has said it will strike Baghdad with or without a second
resolution if President Saddam Hussein does not comply with
U.N. inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction.
Powell also told reporters that North Korea will be high
on the agenda as he meets the leaders of Japan, China and
South Korea over the weekend.
"The situation in North Korea will be a subject of
considerable interest and discussion, but I cannot say to you
now that we have found a way to arrange a meeting -- a
multilateral meeting to consider the North Korean situation.
But the United States and China does have a shared view that
the North Korean nuclear program is not acceptable and that
the Korean Peninsula must not have nuclear weapons, and that
is a position that President Bush and President Jiang Zemin
took publicly when President Jiang Zemin visited Crawford."
Diplomatic tensions are high on the Korean peninsula over
North Korea's suspected nuclear weapons ambitions. North Korea
on Wednesday (February 19) criticised the annual joint
military training by South Korea and the United States (U.S.),
calling the two countries "war-mongers".
The U.S. Forces in South Korea announced that U.S. and
South Korea will hold the Reception, Staging, Onward Movement
and Integration (RSOI) exercise from March 19 until March 26.
They also plan to have Foal Eagle (FE) training from March 4
until April 2.
U.S. maintains 37,000 troops in more than 90 military
installations and bases throughout the country.
The two Koreas remain technically at war because their
1950-53 conflict, pitting U.S.-led Untied Nations Forces
against Chinese-backed North Korea, ended in an armed truce.
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