Who Will Convince Whom?

MILLIYET- Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the US Vice President Cheney's visit to Turkey today. A summary of his column is as follows:
The broad outline of the issues which will be discussed during the talks over Iraq and the Middle East in the course of US Vice President Dick Cheney's visit, who is expected in Ankara today, is known even beforehand. The Turkish side will request from the US that it give priority to the Israeli-Palestinian issue and press for a solution. Regarding the Iraqi issue, Turks will point out the possible negative consequences of a military operation both for Turkey and the region. The government will signal out that Ankara cannot actively support such an operation but will rather contribute to a political solution. The US delegation will tell in detail how the Saddam administration poses a threat for the countries in the region and the world with its weapons of mass destruction and inquire into how much support it can get to change the regime in Baghdad. Details will make up the crucial point of the talks which will be conducted within this general framework. Turks will try to learn what the US is planning to do to topple the Saddam regime, how determined they are for a military operation against Iraq and how they plan to accomplish this. For its part, the US delegation will try to determine the extent to which Turkey can participate within these plans. The aim of the US vice president in his 12 day-tour which covered 11 countries was to determine the extent to which Bush's plans were supported by the international community and in the Mideast region and convince the friendly countries if possible on the issue. Cheney must have seen that support for a military operation is minimal. In fact, support for a military operation against Iraq is not supported by the international community covering countries from Europe, as well as Russia and China, in addition to the Arab world. How much will this determination affect the final decision of the US administration? Will the administration, contrary to the international mood act unilaterally? If so, what purpose do Cheney's consultations serve? Such an action would shake the trust felt for the US and the solidarity formed after the Sept.11 attacks. According to reports coming from Washington for some time, if a military operation is in the cards, it will be carried out in the second half of the year. If the time in between is used productively, it is possible to avert a war. Therefore, the international community, which is against a military solution, must actively contribute to developments in the meantime. Saddam must be prevented from daring and playing with fire as much as Bush must be held from entering an adventure. Together with the countries in the region which share the same concerns, Turkey may take on an active role.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION