Basbug: Use Of Incirlik Base For Rotation Of U.S. Personnel In Iraq Is Appropriate To Turkey's National Interests

ANKARA - General Staff Second Chief Gen. Ilker Basbug said on Friday, ''as the General Staff, we think that use of the Incirlik base for the purpose of rotation of U.S. personnel in Iraq is appropriate with respect to Turkey's national interests.''
Holding a press briefing at the General Staff Command in Ankara, Gen. Basbug said that there was a decision of the Council of Ministers on use of the Incirlik base for rotation of the U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
''As the General Staff, we think that use of the Incirlik base for the purpose of rotation of U.S. personnel in Iraq is appropriate with respect to Turkey's national interests,'' he said.
Basbug said that process between the General Staff and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the Cyprus issue was continuing.
Noting that the United States was not completely in harmony with Turkey about the issue of surrender of PKK terrorists in north of Iraq to Turkey after laying down their weapons, Basbug said that the United States did not fully respond our expectations in terms of timing but they had an optimistic outlook.
Basbug added that a federative structure in Iraq would not solve problems but ethnic and religious differences might cause incidents that nobody wanted.
GENERAL BASBUG: TRANSIT PERSONNEL SPEND 24 HOURS IN INCIRLIK BASE
Basbug said, ''U.S. transit personnel spend 24 hours in Incirlik Air Base in southern province of Adana. They do not go out of the base. A total of 1 thousand 512 U.S. personnel have been taken to the Incirlik Base by 12 planes so far. They departed from the base by 10 planes.''
Holding a press conference at the General Staff Headquarters on Friday, General Basbug said, ''use of the Incirlik Air Base by the United States for rotation of its soldiers in Iraq is restricted with commitments stemming from the NATO Treaty and training opportunities provided under the Turkey-the United States Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement. The base can be used for other purposes only with permission of Turkey.''
Noting that the U.S. European Command made a request on November 28, 2003 to the General Staff to use the Incirlik Base for rotation of its soldiers in Iraq, General Basbug told reporters, ''the United States told us that it wanted to use the base between January 1 and April 30, 2004 as a transit center. The rotation of the U.S. soldiers follows the route of Iraq, Incirlik, Europe and the United States. U.S. transit personnel spend 24 hours in the base. They do not go out of the base.''
''This request of the United States was conveyed to the Prime Ministry Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December of 2003. As Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek stated earlier, the Prime Ministry Office accepted this request under the decision no: 5755 of the Council of Ministers dated June 23, 2003 based on the resolution no: 1483 of the United Nations Security Council dated May 22, 2003. The Prime Ministry Office released a document on December 16, 2003 saying that the rotation of U.S. transit soldiers from Iraq to the United States via Turkey will be made under coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in line with principles and rules to be determined by the General Staff. A total of 1 thousand 512 U.S. personnel have been taken to the Incirlik Base by 12 planes so far. They departed from the base by 10 planes,'' he added.
(UK) 16.01.2004