Babacan: U.S. To Give 26-30 Billion Dollars To Turkey Due To Possible U.S. Operation Against Iraq

ANKARA - State Minister Ali Babacan said on Wednesday that the U.S. would give Turkey totally 26-30 billion dollars as donation and credit due to a possible operation against Iraq.
Babacan, who addressed the AK Party group meeting which was close to the press, focused on the damage of a possible operation against Iraq on the Turkish economy.
Giving information about the negotiations between Turkey and the U.S. officials, Babacan said that ''a compromise was reached for U.S.'s giving 26-30 billion dollars to Turkey in the form of donation and credit during those meetings.'' Eight and nine billion dollars of this amount will be in the form of credit which will be given without getting the approval of the Congress first,'' he added.
Babacan said that the approval of that credit by the Congress would continue for six weeks and the part of the credit would be transferred to Turkey whenever the operation started.
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis also gave information about the negotiations between Turkey and the U.S. ''There is a gradual tendency towards formation of a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. The motion has to be adopted in order to have a say in Northern Iraq,'' he said.
Yakis also gave information about the situation that would come out when the motion was adopted or not. If Turkey supported the U.S., its position regarding Cyprus, EU and Aegean would further strengthen and that it could more easily explain its views about these issues, Yakis said. ''If this motion is adopted, then the Turkish nation can become the target of Iraq. Our relations with Arab countries can be damaged and there can also be terrorist attacks,'' he said.
Constitutional Commission Chairman Burhan Kuzu gave information about the legal aspect of the motion, adding that ''if a war breaks out, Turkey's obligation to protect itself should not also be forgotten.''
Responding to questions of journalists after the meeting, Kuzu said that the voting of the motion in parts could only be possible by the acceptation of a proposal requesting that.
(ÖS-AÖ) 26.02.2003