CABINET DISCUSSES IRAQ ISSUE
Cabinet ministers headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul convened yesterday to discuss the Iraq issue. Following their four-hour meeting, government spokesman Abdullatif Sener told reporters that Gul had fully briefed the other ministers about recent developments on the issue. Sener stated that no decision had been made at the meeting on proposals concerning Turkey’s possible cooperation with the United States in an Iraq operation. Stressing that the government was acting under a great responsibility, Sener said it would work to protect Turkey’s interests. /Turkiye/

GUL, YAKIS AND BABACAN DISCUSS IRAQ
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal to discuss recent developments on the Iraq issue. In related news, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the US should wait for a forthcoming additional UN weapons inspectors’ report to be issued before going taking further action, adding that the AKP government hadn’t made any commitments to the US administration. /Milliyet/

WASHINGTON REPORTEDLY GIVES TURKEY 48-HOUR DEADLINE TO DECIDE ABOUT COOPERATION ON IRAQ OFFENSIVE
Washington has given Turkey a 48-hour deadline to decide whether to allow US troops to be stationed in Turkey for a possible northern offensive into Iraq, reported news channel CNN yesterday. However, US Secretary of State Colin Powell denied the existence of any such deadline. “Time is moving, but we don't have a deadline. We are waiting to hear back from the Turkish government,” said Powell. /Cumhuriyet/

UNITED STATES GIVES TURKEY NEW OFFER ON SUPPORT FOR IRAQ OPERATION
US Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson yesterday visited Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal to convey the US administration’s reply to Turkey’s demands in return for giving the US support during a possible operation in Iraq. The US reportedly proposed a new offer to Turkey which includes additional financial compensation. Under the new offer, the US would extend to Turkey $4 billion in funds outright, erase some $2 billion in military debt, and channel to Turkey $1 billion in expected postwar Iraqi oil proceeds. In addition, the offer extends favorable terms for loans as well as pledges to re-evaluate Turkey’s economic losses in six months’ time. In related news, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday visited President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to discuss the US’ most recent offer. /Turkiye/

NATO BEGINS MILITARY PLANNING FOR TURKEY’S DEFENSE
NATO’s 19 members yesterday approved a decision taken by its Defense Planning Committee (DPC) last week greenlighting measures to help bolster’s Turkey’s defense, thus officially overcoming a monthlong deadlock within the alliance. Germany, Belgium and France had initially opposed the measures, designed to help protect longtime member Turkey from an attack by Iraq during a possible war, arguing that such measures might precipitate conflict, but eventually all but France were persuaded that this was not the case. The decision was then taken through the DPC, a body which France voluntarily withdrew from in 1966. NATO military authorities called the measures stipulated in the DPC decision “necessary and applicable.” Following the NATO ambassadors’ approval of the DPC decision, the DPC directed the proper military bodies to implement the measures as required, among which are a civil emergency planning mechanism designed to stem a possible wave of Iraqi refugees as well as protect against weapons of mass destruction. /Cumhuriyet/

SEZER: “NATO ACTS IN SOLIDARITY”
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday issued a message to mark the 51st anniversary of Turkey’s NATO membership. Stressing that Turkey had been a strong, reliable and trustworthy NATO member for over a half-century, Sezer stated that the alliance played an important role in ensuring peace and stability as well as protecting democracy, prosperity and freedom in the Europe-Atlantic region. /Turkiye/

US CARGO SHIP UNLOADS MILITARY VEHICLES, MATERIEL AT PORT OF ISKENDERUN
As negotiations between Turkey and the United States continue on A US request to station its troops in Turkey for a possible northern offensive into Iraq, an US ship unloaded over 500 armored military vehicles and materiel at the southern Turkish port of Iskenderun yesterday. The unloading came at a time when the Turkish Parliament has yet to take a decision on allowing US forces to be deployed on Turkish soil. Five more US ships loaded with tanks and other vehicles are waiting off the coast while another 35 supply ships are currently en route to the area. /Cumhuriyet/

UNDER AGREEMENT WITH US, TURKISH SOLDIERS IN IRAQ WOULD BE UNDER TURKISH COMMAND
Turkey and the United States yesterday reportedly reached a agreement on military matters in negotiations concerning Ankara’s possible support for an Iraq operation. Under the deal, the US agreed to the principle that Turkish soldiers would be under the exclusive command of Turkish officers. However, the two countries also agreed to inform each other of troop movements and provide coordination through liaison officers. It was also agreed that Turkey’s forces in northern Iraq would number above 50,000, while those of the US would be fewer. /Cumhuriyet/

BARZANI: “IF TURKISH TROOPS ENTER NORTHERN IRAQ, THIS WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS”
Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (IKPD) leader Massoud Barzani said yesterday that if Turkish troops enter northern Iraq during a US operation against Iraq, this would cause problems in the region. “People are opposed to Turkish troops coming into the region,” said Barzani. /Milliyet/

FOREIGN MINISTRY: “ANKARA KNOWS PAPADOPULOS AND HIS POLITICAL PAST VERY WELL”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yusuf Buluc told a weekly press conference yesterday that Ankara knew Tassos Papadopoulos, the new president-elect of the Greek Cypriot administration, and his political identity and past very well. Buluc stated that Papadopulos had a political career having its roots in the terrorist Greek Cypriot organization EOKA which in 1963 committed massacres of Turkish Cypriots on the island. Though only president-elect until March 1, Papadopoulos is set to conduct negotiations on behalf of Greek Cyprus up to the Feb. 28 deadline for an agreement between the island’s two nations. /Cumhuriyet/

ERDOGAN: “TURKEY NEEDS A WRITTEN GUARANTEE FROM THE US CONCERNING THE ECONOMIC PACKAGE”
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that the United States had proposed a $30 billion financial compensation package to Turkey in order to get its support for US troops to be stationed on Turkish soil. He added, however, that Ankara was demanding a written guarantee on the package from US officials since it was unsure the US Congress would approve the deal. “It would take six or eight weeks for the US Congress to approve the package,” said Erdogan. “Yet the US officials say that they want to start an operation imminently. But what if Congress doesn’t approve the package after the operation begins?” He stated that negotiations between the US and Turkey shouldn’t be considered mere “bargaining” since the 1991 Gulf War had done great damage to Turkey’s economy, the effects of which were still continuing. /Star/

ANNAN TO VISIT TURKEY ON SUNDAY TO MEET WITH SEZER, GUL
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is set to visit Turkey over the weekend to meet with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul to discuss the Cyprus issue and the UN’s plan for the island. Annan said that this visit carried great importance due to both the Cyprus issue and the looming possibility of military action against Iraq. Speaking at a meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Annan said that the possibility of a war was putting the world into a state of uncertainty and fear. /Aksam/

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