PROPOSAL ON IRAQ TO BE DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT TODAY
The government last night sent to Parliament a proposal on Iraq authorizing Turkish troop deployment into northern Iraq and the use of Turkish airspace by foreign armed forces for six months. The proposal, unlike an earlier version voted down earlier this month, did not contain any provision for the deployment of US troops in Turkish territory. Meanwhile, US officials said that the Bush administration had withdrawn an offer of economic compensation previously agreed on to Turkey, as the package had been contingent upon the US deployments being authorized. The Iraq proposal is expected to be voted on in Parliament today. Before the balloting, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Parliamentary Group is scheduled to meet to discuss recent developments in Iraq along with the proposal. /All Papers/

BAYKAL: “THE US PROPOSALS FOR TURKEY ARE UNLAWFUL”
Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday charged that United States proposals for military preparations and operations in Turkish territory were unlawful. “The previous US proposal included upgrading our bases and harbors, but now they also want Turkey to allow jet overflights through Turkish airspace,” Baykal told an academic gathering in Istanbul. “But Parliament didn’t approve any deployments of US troops or establishing new bases.” He also criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, saying that it had failed to pursue a serious and determined Iraq policy. “The current instability has made interest rates shoot up,” said Baykal. “For a healthy investment climate, economic stability is a must.” /Aksam/

US STATE UNDERSECRETARY GROSSMAN: “AN ECONOMIC PACKAGE WILL BE DECIDED ON AFTER TURKEY PASSES PROPOSALS”
US Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman said yesterday that if Turkey’s Parliament passes proposals authorizing US troops deployment on Turkish soil and jet overflights through Turkish airspace, then at that point the US administration would decide what to do to compensate Turkey’s possible economic losses due to war. Grossman, a former US ambassador to Ankara, added that Turkey was the only NATO member country which had yet to authorize the overflights. “We will wait to see Parliament’s decision,” said Grossman. “We hope it will approve the proposals as soon as possible.” In related news, US State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher yesterday indicated that the US would provide Turkey with no special economic package if it approved only the overflights and not troop deployments. “Overflights are routinely granted by other [NATO] member nations without any questions of financial assistance or the need for dealing with any economic consequences,” Boucher added. /Aksam/

FLEISCHER: “THE US HASN’T RULED OUT AN ECONOMIC PACKAGE FOR TURKEY”
The US administration is still considering an economic compensation package for Turkey, even if its cooperation with US war plans is smaller than originally proposed, said White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer yesterday. Asked by reporters about the recent urgent US request for jet overflight rights, Fleischer said, “The Turkish Parliament has yet to speak on that matter... And so it’s premature to make any judgments about what actions Turkey will take.” Fleischer acknowledged that while the original economic package had been contingent upon Ankara’s “total cooperation in the military endeavor,” it also recognized that Turkey’s proximity to Iraq made the nation especially vulnerable to economic damage. Finally, asked whether the Bush administration could offer a smaller package if “Turkey cooperates at some [smaller] level,” the spokesman replied, “The White House has not ruled out assistance for Turkey in this matter.” /Aksam/

IRAQIS FLEE TO NORTH OF COUNTRY NEAR TURKISH BORDER
Thousands of Iraqis, especially ones from Kirkuk and the capital Baghdad, have fled to what is seen as safer regions in northern Iraq out of fear of imminent war. The migrants are establishing tent camps within some 70-80 kilometers of the Turkish border. Over the last two days, the number of Iraqis fleeing to regions under the control of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) and the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) has reportedly reached 30,000. /Turkiye/

TURKISH JOURNALISTS SENT OUT OF IRAQI BORDER PROVINCE
Turkish journalists working in Zaho, the closest Iraqi province to the border with Turkey, were sent out of the city yesterday by local military units. After detaining the journalists for some time, peshmergas from the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) sent them out of the city. Turkish reporters were then reportedly prohibited from re-entering Zaho or working in regions close to the Turkish border. /Turkiye/

IRAQI OPPOSITION LEADERS REACH CONSENSUS IN ANKARA
A series of meetings of Iraqi opposition leaders in Ankara ended yesterday with a consensus reached among the Turkish officials, US representatives and the eight opposition groups’ leaders participating. Under the consensus, the sides agreed to oppose any discrimination on the basis of race, ethnic origin, language or religion. The participants also pledged to preserve Iraq’s sovereignty, freedom, territorial integrity and national unity. Meanwhile, Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) representative Nechirvan Barzani met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. Talabani told reporters that they had exchanged views on a wide range of issues. He stated that Iraqi Turkmen representation at the Iraqi National Council, a body intended to help shape a future Iraq, had already been approved. Stating his view that there was no need for the deployment or intervention of Turkish troops in northern Iraq, Talabani said, “If we need help, our first phone call will be to Turkey.” /All Papers/

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