ANKARA - General Staff Deputy Chief Gen. Ilker Basbug said on Thursday that it was in question for Turkish Third Army Corps to undertake command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in the February-August period of 2005.
Holding a monthly press conference, Basbug said that NATO prepared a rotation plan for high level army corps under the NATO force to undertake command the ISAF.
Stating that according to this plan, it was foreseen that first European Army Corps and then Turkish Third Army Corps would undertake the command of ISAF, Basbug added that Italian, Germany-Netherlands and Spain Army Corps would undertake the command respectively.
Basbug noted that there was neither NATO nor U.S. base in Turkey.
Basbug said that Tenth Turkish Tanker Base Command Incirlik was used by some forces of NATO within the scope of NATO Treaty, stating that it was also used under the Defense and Economic Cooperation Treaty between Turkey and the United States.
Stating that U.S. fleets based in Europe were allowed to fly over the Tenth Turkish Tanker Base on the condition that the number of aircrafts should not be more than 48, Basbug said that those planes flew for training over a specific altitude.
Basbug noted that all details of training were planned and those trainings were held under the information and control of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
He stated that with the new demands of the United States to this issue, night and day low head training flights, supersonic flights and training for supplying on the air were also brought onto the agenda.
Basbug said that Turkish Foreign Ministry and U.S. officials continued to examine these demands and added that the United States did not have any other demand except those issues.
(EÖ-MS) 08.07.2004