General John Abizaid, head of US Central Command, arrived in Ankara in January 2005 seeking expanded American access to the Incirlik air base to support logistics for US forces stationed in Iraq.
Incirlik, in southern Türkiye, hosted US and British aircraft during the no-fly patrols over northern Iraq from 1991 through 2003. After the Iraq invasion, Ankara narrowed permitted uses to logistical and humanitarian purposes, though the base continued to serve American refueling and troop rotation needs for Iraq and Afghanistan.
Abizaid met Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Yigit Alpogan, secretary-general of the National Security Council, and was scheduled to meet General Ilker Basbug, deputy chief of the general staff, before departing on Wednesday.
Afghanistan cooperation also featured in the discussions. Türkiye was preparing to assume command of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in February for a six-month rotation, its second such term after leading ISAF from July 2002. Ankara was expected to contribute more than 1,400 soldiers to a multinational force of some 8,300 troops drawn from over 30 nations.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in January 2005, in its own words.