MGK TO CONVENE TODAY
The National Security Council (MGK) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is set to convene today at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the gathering for the first time. During the meeting, the Iraq war and related recent developments are expected to be discussed. /All Papers/
BAYKAL: “EACH DAY OF THE WAR THE US LOSES MORE SUPPORT AND BECOMES MORE ISOLATED”
With each passing day of the week-old Iraqi war the US is growing more isolated and losing more of the world’s support, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal told Sky Turk television yesterday. “This war is illegal,” charged Baykal, adding that it was difficult to believe US pledges that it would protect Iraq’s territorial integrity. /Aksam/
POWELL: “TURKEY’S ECONOMY SHOULD BE ABLE TO WEATHER A SHORT IRAQ WAR”
Turkey’s economy should be able to weather the Iraq war without suffering great damage if the conflict doesn’t stretch out and if a refugee crisis is successfully avoided, US Secretary of State Colin Powell predicted yesterday. Speaking before the US Congress, Powell pointed out that Turkey had lost tens of millions of dollars due to the 1991 Gulf War, adding that it was seeking economic support now due to the current conflict. “However, if the war doesn’t last very long, this time the impact on Turkey’s economy shouldn’t be large,” he said. “We can also prevent a refugee crisis this time. After Saddam’s regime is toppled, we should see stability, economic prosperity and more trade in the region.” Asked about $1 billion in loans proposed to Turkey in a new supplemental US budget, Powell said that the Bush administration was resolved to help Turkey’s economy whether it supported the Iraq war or not. The mere fact that Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) government submitted a proposal to Parliament on US troop deployment despite overwhelming public opinion opposition -- a proposal that was ultimately voted down -- proves that Turkey is a “good friend” to the US, remarked Powell. He reiterated, however, that Parliament’s rejection of the proposal had taken the US’ previous offer of $6 billion in aid to Turkey off the table. “That figure is no longer an option,” stated Powell. “However, the US is still pleased with the Parliament’s authorizing overflights through Turkish airspace.” /Hurriyet/
SPAIN CONDITIONALLY PLEDGES $5 MLN IN AID TO TURKEY
Spain’s Foreign Minister Anna Palacio paid an official visit to Turkey yesterday and met with her Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. During their meeting, Palacio stressed that Spain would extend $5 million in loans to each of Iraq’s neighboring countries, including Turkey, for use in averting a refugee crisis. However, the Spanish foreign minister added that the loan was conditional on Turkey not sending its troops into northern Iraq. Reiterating that defense support sent to Turkey by its fellow NATO members would be subject to withdrawal if Turkey intervenes in northern Iraq, Palacio added that such a move might also harm Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Palacio then met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where the two discussed the Iraq war and Turkish-EU relations. /Turkiye/
RUMSFELD: “US TROOPS IN NORTHERN IRAQ WILL ACT AS SAFEGUARD AGAINST A KURDISH STATE BEING FOUNDED IN THE REGION”
Recent US troop deployment in northern Iraq will serve as a safeguard against the establishment of a Kurdish state there, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said yesterday. “Our presence in the region will prevent Iraqi forces from setting [the Kirkuk and Mosul] oil fields on fire and will also enable us to work closer with Iraqi Kurds,” Rumsfeld told the US Senate Appropriations Committee. Some 1,000 US paratroopers parachuted into northern Iraq on Wednesday after flying over Turkish airspace from their base in Aviano, Italy. /Turkiye/
IRANIAN FM HARRAZI: “TURKEY, IRAN AND SYRIA SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO DEAL WITH THE KURDISH ISSUE”
Iranian Foreign Minister Kemal Harrazi told his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul during a recent phone call that Turkey, Iran and Syria should act together to deal with the Kurdish issue, diplomatic sources said yesterday. According to the sources, Harrazi told of his concerns about a possible flood of Iraqi refugees towards Iran’s borders. All three countries are opposed to the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq out of fear such a development could lead to turmoil within their own territories. For his part, Gul reiterated that Turkey wanted to enter the region in order to provide the Iraqi refugees with humanitarian aid. Gul and Harrazi reportedly agreed that Turkey and Iran should deal cautiously with possible unexpected developments in northern Iraq. /Cumhuriyet/
TOP TURKISH BUSINESSMEN MEET WITH US DIPLOMATS IN ISTANBUL
Several prominent Turkish businessmen yesterday held a five-hour meeting with US diplomats in Istanbul. Among the meeting’s participants were Dogan Group Chairman Aydin Dogan, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan, Koc Group Chairman Rahmi Koc and the Sabanci Group’s Omer Sabanci along with a number of diplomats from Istanbul’s US Consulate. The businessmen and diplomats reportedly discussed such significant issues as US-Turkish cooperation in postwar Iraq as well as Turkey’s economic problems. /Cumhuriyet/
TOBB: “THE UN’S CYPRUS PLAN WOULD DO NOTHING TO MEET THE TRNC’S NEEDS”
The United Nations’ latest Cyprus plan would do nothing to meet the needs of the island’s Turks or to bridge inequalities between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Greek Cypriot administration, charged a new report issued yesterday by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB). “The plan would render the Turkish Cypriots impoverished and rob them of their ability to complete,” added the report. /Aksam/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION