Scheduled Visit Of U.S. Vice President Cheney To Turkey

ANKARA, March 17 (A.A) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who will visit Ankara within the scope of his tour to the Middle East, is expected to attract the attention of Turkish officials to the chemical weapons of Iraq, and give the message that those weapons also threaten Turkey.
Diplomatic sources said within the framework of the short visit of Cheney, which will start on Tuesday and end the other day, Iraq constitutes the main item of the agenda.
The U.S. administration, which thinks that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who realizes that the U.S. would topple himself, may attack neighbouring countries particularly Israel, with missiles carrying chemical and biological weapons, is expected to convey Ankara the concern that such a probability may cause a very big war in the Middle East.
The U.S. high ranking officials who gave information to the press prior to the tour of Cheney, pointed out that Washington's policy was a change in regime in Iraq. The officals said they believed that Iraq was a threat and danger for its neighbors and regional peace, yet stressed that this would not be the focal point of the talks. The officials said no decision has been given regarded with how this regime change will be achieved.
According to the observers in Washington D.C., Middle East tour of Cheney, a cardiac patient, indicate the seriousness of the U.S. in its plans toward a military operation on Iraq.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the U.S. plans to hold a conference which will bring together in Europe more than 300 Iraqi oppositions in spring.
Fight against terrorism which started after September 11 attacks, and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) within this framework are expected to be discussed at the talks. Current and future situation of ISAF will be taken up during the meetings. Turkey's taking over the command of ISAF from Britain is also expected to be under discussion at the visit.
Escalating tension in the Middle East will be discussed during the visit and Ankara is expected to make a call to the U.S. administration to exert more efforts to stop the violence.
Babil, one of the leading newspapers of Iraq, described the tour of Cheney as ''sign of war''. The tour to the Middle East covers Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kingdom of Bahrain, and Kuwait.
Cheney, who is expected to be in Ankara on Tuesday evening, will first visit Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic.
The U.S. Vice President will meet President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and later participate in an interdelegationary meeting led by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Cheney and the Turkish side will continue contacts at dinner.
Cheney will hold a news conference early on Wednesday and depart from Turkey.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff, and other military officials will attend the meetings that will take place within the framework of Cheney's visit.
The U.S. sources said they regarded participation of Gen. Kivrikoglu to the talks as important with respect to ''obtain military advise''.
WHO IS CHENEY?
Dick Cheney, who worked with four U.S. Presidents namely Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George Bush, George W. Bush, has undertaken important official and civilian duties during his 35 years of career.
Cheney, who was born in Nebraska on January 30, 1941, began his career in public service when he started to work in the White House, serving the Office of Economic Opportunity during Nixon administration in 1969.
Dick Cheney, who was one of the closest names to Gerald Ford when Ford was the President, served as a congressmen between 1977 and 1989 and as the Secretary of Defense from March 1989 to January 1993.
Cheney directed two of the largest military campaigns in those years, including Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East.
Being defined by the experts in Washington D.C as ''the main architect of the reshaping of the U.S. military after the end of Cold War era'', Cheney was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush for his leadership in Gulf War.