Turkey opens air space for U.S. warplanes

Its provisions fell well short of the massive, land-based springboard the United states had sought in a previous plan rejected by deputies at
the beginning of this month.
Parliament also laid the ground for dispatch of thousands of Turkish troops to northern Iraq — something viewed with deep misgivings by
Iraqi Kurds who have controlled the area since the 1991 Gulf War. Washington will continue to press Ankara to keep its troops out, fearing a
Turkish-Kurdish "war within a war".
There is widespread public opposition to a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. But Turkish financial markets will be relieved that parliament had finally
opened the door to U.S. forces, if only a little, and, for American tastes, very late.
Turkey forfeited a $6 billion (3.8 billion pounds) U.S. aid package by rejecting Washington’s request for 62,000 U.S. troops to be deployed
for a "northern front", which would have forced Iraqi forces to fight on two fronts. A 280,000-strong invasion force has assembled on Iraq’s
southern borders.
Markets haunted by the prospect of a war without any aid package have suffered badly. But stocks and the lira currency fell only a shade on
Thursday, helped by hopes the air space deal might keep open a door to U.S. aid.
The governing Justice and Development Party was already under media fire for "bungling" talks with Washington by delaying too long, and
Thursday’s resolution was in many ways the worst possible outcome for Turkey.
The government eventually backed the United States military action, undermining its popularity with voters, but at the same time lost financial
help from Washington.

TURKISH FORCES IN IRAQ
Turkish diplomatic sources said Britain, America’s chief ally in its war against Baghdad, had also asked for overflight rights from Turkey. It
was not clear if this would be granted.
Thursday’s motion would also allow dispatch of tens of thousands of Turkish troops into northern Iraq. It was not clear if or how soon they
would be sent over the mountainous frontier.
Their task, Ankara says, would be to marshal refugees in a frontier buffer zone. But they could have a broader use in an area Turkey
considers to be of key strategic importance.
Turkey fears Iraqi Kurds may exploit the chaos of war to create their own independent state and trigger renewed Kurdish separatism on
Turkish soil. The Kurds for their part reject the idea of a Turkish incursion, fearing an attempt by Ankara to rob them of the autonomy they have
enjoyed.
The United States has negotiated with the Kurds and the Turks for weeks in an attempt to create confidence between the two. But the
danger of a conflict between the two elements disrupting the U.S. campaign remains serious.
The parties have agreed to set up a "standing committee" embracing Turks, Americans and northern Iraq groups. The body would meet
daily and be located initially in Turkey, on the Iraqi border, in the town of Silopi.
A senior U.S. official said the committee would provide a forum to solve differences. Turkey, for instance, could consult it on any plans to
bring in troops.
"As an end in itself I see no green light (for Turkish troops), but as a potential means to solve specific problems I don’t rule it out, " he said.