Memorandum Of Understanding Signed Between Turkey And United States

ANKARA - A memorandum of understanding on modernization of bases and ports in Turkey was signed on Saturday between Turkey and the United States.
A statement of the Foreign Ministry said that negotiations with the U.S. delegation had been concluded and a memorandum of understanding was signed at the end of their deliberations.
The statement noted, ''at the end of the negotiations between delegations headed by ambassador Deniz Bolukbasi, who represented Turkey, and ambassador Mariso Lino, who represented the United States, and comprised of officials from the Foreign Ministry and State Department and relevant military authorities, a memorandum of understanding was signed. The mentioned memorandum covers the legal status of the U.S. personnel who will come to Turkey as a part of the construction and infrastructural works to be carried out in military installations and ports, and envisages the principles of rules that the mentioned activities will be subject to.''
''Under the memorandum, supremacy of Turkish laws and regulations are confirmed and Turkey's right to take all measures it considers necessary to preserve its national interests and security is reserved,'' the statement noted.
The statement pointed out that the document, which foresaw that current national regulation that equipment, services and personnel needed for the renovation in installations would firstly be provided by Turkey, would be taken as a base.
The document also envisaged that such activities would not impose any additional financial burden on Turkey, the statement said.
The statement noted, ''the memorandum enables trial of U.S. armed forces personnel by Turkish courts in the case of any criminal offense and also makes the United States pay compensation in lawsuits that may be filed to meet losses of Turkish citizens caused by the U.S. personnel.''
''The memorandum also broadens arrangements in the existing bilateral and multilateral agreements on the compensation of losses of Turkish Armed Forces that may occur due to action of the U.S. personnel in favor of Turkey at a great extent,'' the statement added.
Meanwhile, sources said that the memorandum of understanding on allowing U.S. troops in Turkey and sending Turkish soldiers to Northern Iraq could be signed after authorization of parliament.