ANKARA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Tuesday that news stories claiming that a secret agreement was signed between Turkey and the United States were baseless.
Releasing a statement, the MFA said, ''a news story was published in the Aydinlik magazine on July 20, 2003 claiming that a secret agreement was signed between Turkey and the United States during visit of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to Turkey on April 2, 2003. This news story is totally baseless.''
''The issues on which an agreement was reached between the two sides were announced to the public opinion at a joint press conference held by Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and U.S. Secretary of State Powell. These issues include establishment of a logistic supply line in order to meet requirements of coalition troops in Iraq via Turkey and cooperation between Turkey and the United States to sent humanitarian aid to Iraqi people,'' it said.
Noting that the logistic supply line envisaged to meet requirements of coalition forces in Iraq via Turkey, the statement added, ''Turkish and the U.S. sides have also agreed on medical treatment of members of the coalition forces in hospitals in Turkey, and coalition forces' planes using Turkish airports for emergency landing.''
(UK-AÖ) 22.07.2003