General Basbug: We Received Some Requests From United States

ISTANBUL - General Staff Deputy Chief General Ilker Basbug has said that they had received several requests from the United States.
''Among these requests, we mutually discuss the matters under Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement (DECA) and there is not any problem about the matters that this agreement includes. Other demands outside the agreement constitute a totally different issue. They are matters that need decision and approval of even political will and parliament,'' he said.
Basbug answered questions of reporters during a symposium held by the General Staff Department of Military History and Strategic Studies in Istanbul on ''Regions of Crisis from the Perspective of Turkey, NATO and European Union (EU) and Their Impacts on Turkey's Security'' in Istanbul on Thursday.
Asked whether use of the Incirlik airbase by the United States was in question within content of several military requests of the United States from Turkey, Basbug said, ''there is a DECA between Turkey and the United States. So use of Incirlik can be in question only under the DECA which is currently in effect.''
''We received several requests from the United States for several issues. We have been working on them. Among these requests, we mutually discuss the matters under DECA and there is not any problem about the matters that this agreement includes if the other side desires use of airbase under DECA. Planes to be at Incirlik under DECA are used only on training purpose. There is NATO umbrella,'' he said.
Asked whether Incirlik airbase would be used for Iraq, Basbug said, ''Iraq is a separate issue which is totally outside DECA. Discussions on requests have been continuing and we can't say they have reached final stage. However, if they want to implement requests under DECA, those requests are met under it. Requests outside DECA constitute a completely different issue. They are matters that need decision and approval of even political will and parliament. DECA is an issue that covers training activities that the United States accepts under NATO.''
When a reporter said, ''it is mentioned that the United States has demands related to the Black Sea outside DECA, Basbug said, ''it would be wrong to comment on it at the time being. Talks are actually about to finish. We will convey our formal opinion to authorities.''
Basbug added that there was no need to get parliament's approval regarding DECA.
(MS-AÖ) 27.05.2004