ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked the deputies to support the prime ministry motion.
Sources said on Thursday that Foreign Ministry and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul informed deputies about negotiations between Turkey and the United States at the group meeting of Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Gul said that 6 billion U.S. dollars in U.S. aid to Turkey was put on shelf and added that Turkey had no demand on money.
Sources quoted Gul as saying that but, Turkey was also at the table and stated that Turkey was given promise that the country's political sensitivities would be respected and territorial integrity of Iraq would also be preserved.
Foreign Minister Gul said that war would not affect Turkey much and stated that they, as the government, took political and military measures.
Gul said that they had information that the United States would strike Iraq on Thursday.
Stating that Turkey would only open its air corridor, but usage of bases would not be permitted with the motion, Gul said that all of U.S. soldiers who had come to Turkey came within the scope of the first motion. He added that General Staff also gave them information regarding that issue.
Replying to a question which said whether Turkey might face an attack just as Iraqi attack against Kuwait, Gul said that such a possibility was out of question and added that Turkey was a NATO country.
Erdogan who also delivered a speech at the group meeting recalled that vote of confidence for the government would be held this weekend and stressed that vote on the motion was very important before vote of confidence.
''I'm your prime minister. This motion belongs to our government. That's why, I want you to support the motion in order not to cause any view which may spoil unity of our party,'' Erdogan added.
(EÖ-AÖ) 20.03.2003