WASHINGTON D.C. (A.A) - 02.04.2002 - U.S. Secretary of Defense Ronald Rumsfeld said that the arrangements concerning the transfer of the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to Turkey have not been concluded.
When a reporter asked in a news conference on Monday how much financial support Turkey would take for taking over the command of ISAF, Rumsfeld said he didn't believe the arrangements with Turkey have been concluded.
The typical official negotiations about these arrangements have not also been started with Britain, said Rumsfeld and noted that the U.S. told Turkey that if it took over the command of ISAF, the U.S. would conclude an agreement with Turkey which was similar to the one made with Britain, meaning the U.S. would give support like logistics and intelligence to Turkey.
''We will encourage other countries to provide finance to ISAF. The U.S. Congress will approve the money that will be given to ISAF. It is difficult to determine the total amount of the financial support,'' Rumsfeld said.
The sources in Washington D.C. said that the U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney told the Turkish government officials during his visit to Turkey that the U.S. Congress gave positive sign for extending financial support to Turkey as he actually carried out the studies regarding the support to be extended to Turkey if Turkey takes over the command of ISAF.
Sources noted that 28 million dollars of the 228 million dollars (total amount) will be used for military expenditures and the remaining 200 million dollars will be given to Turkey under the name of Economic Support Fund that will be used for expenditures in the future.
Meanwhile, Rumsfeld harshly criticized the attitude of Iran, Iraq and Syria against terrorism by saying murderers were not martrys and that targeting civilians was against the ethics. Terrorists who declared war against civilization and countries such as Iran, Iraq and Syria encouraged and financed political murders and suicide attacks, he added.