TURKEY: TURKEY'S ARMED FORCES BACK GOVERNMENT MOVE TO SUBMIT A FRESH PARLIAMENTARY MOTION ALLOWING U.S. TROOPS TO A "NORTHRN FRONT" IN A POSISBLE WAR AGAINST IRAQ

Record ID: 648882

  • Title: TURKEY: TURKEY'S ARMED FORCES BACK GOVERNMENT MOVE TO SUBMIT A FRESH PARLIAMENTARY MOTION ALLOWING U.S. TROOPS TO A "NORTHRN FRONT" IN A POSISBLE WAR AGAINST IRAQ
  • Date: 5th March 2003
  • Summary: (W4) ANKARA, TURKEY (MARCH 5, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SV ARRIVAL OF TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER RAUF DENKTASH AT ANKARA AIRPORT 0.07 2. SLV DENKTASH WITH TURKISH CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, HILMI OZKOK 0.13 3. MCU (Turkish) TURKISH CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, HILMI OZKOK, SAYING: "The Turkish armed forces' view is the same as the government's and is reflected in the motion our government sent to parliament." 0.23 4. MCU OF DENKTASH 0.29 5. MCU (Turkish) TURKISH CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, HILMI OZKOK, SAYING: "Either we will stay out, or we will help them in the war and take part in the process. These two action styles have both been studied systematically and by coordination with public organisations. It is clear we will suffer the same damage if we do not participate in a war, but we will not see compensation for the damage after the war." 1.02 6. LV OF THE MEETING 1.08 7. MCU (Turkish) TURKISH CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, HILMI OZKOK, SAYING: "The war will be short if a second front is opened from the north, pain will be diminished, there will not be any unexpected developments, and less people will lose their lives." 1.21 8. SV PULL OUT LV OF THE MEETING 1.28 (W5) ISKENDERUN, TURKEY (MARCH 5, 2003) (REUTERS) 9. LV OF A HELICOPTER LANDING AT ISKENDERUN 1.39 10. LV OF LORRIES AT PORT 1.43 11. LV TURKISH AND U.S. COMMANDERS WHO ARRIVED ON HELICOPTER 2.02 12. SLV MOTORCADE OF COMMANDERS 2.25 13. LV/SV OF BUSES CARRYING US SOLDIERS ENTERING THE PORT 2.37 14. LV LONG TRUCKS ARRIVING AT PORT 2.46 15. LV/SLV OF US SOLDIERS AT THE ISKENDERUN PORT (3 SHOTS) 3.03 16. GV OF BASE 3.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ANKARA AND ISKENDERUN, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVA6H6I39DNVLN11DNERLBAXRRMT
  • Story Text: Turkey's powerful armed forces have backed a tentative
    government move to submit a fresh parliamentary motion
    allowing U.S. troops to open a "northern front" in any war
    against Iraq.

    U.S. troop activity is continuing throughout Turkey,
    including the Port of Iskenderun which saw the arrival of U.S.

    and Turkish Commanders.



    Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok said on Wednesday
    (March 5) Turkey would be better off involved in any war than
    out of it, and argued that opening an extra front against Iraq
    from Turkey would mean a short war.

    "The Turkish armed forces' view is the same as the
    government's and is reflected in the motion our government
    sent to parliament," Ozkok said in televised remarks.

    "The war will be short if a second front is opened from
    the north," he told reporters in a rare public statement.

    The government has signalled it could table a second
    motion to the Turkish assembly after its first was narrowly
    defeated by lawmakers at the weekend, surpassing NATO ally,
    the United States, and upsetting military planning for a war
    against Iraq.

    The motion would have allowed more than 60,000 U.S. troops
    to use Turkey as a launchpad for an assault on Iraq's northern
    frontier and would have meant sending Turkish troops to
    Kurdish-run northern Iraq.

    Turkey's armed forces wield significant influence on
    policy, particularly where national security is concerned.

    The government has not yet given any timetable for the
    second motion to parliament, but lawmakers from the ruling
    Justice and Development Party (AKP) said it was unlikely to
    take place before a by-election on Sunday (March 9).

    Ozkok said Turkey would suffer damage in any war and would
    be in a better position to minimise that damage if it sided
    with the United States, which is offering up to $30 billion in
    aid for Turkey.

    The Turkish Ground Forces general responsible for
    logistics, Major General Saffet Kaya, arrived at Iskenderun
    port on Wednesday to meet with U.S. commanders stationed
    there.

    More U.S. soldiers arrived at the Mediterranean port of
    Iskenderun with four buses and three long vehicles the same
    day. The vehicles reached the port early in the afternoon.

    According to an officer from the Iskenderun port the 175 U.S.

    soldiers in the buses are rear guards.


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