ANKARA, Turkey: government’s go-ahead

Negotiations also had been locked over Turkish demands that the U.S. military provide information on the type of planes, their mission, and their destination ahead of the overflights, a Turkish military official said n condition of anonymity. The United States wanted to be able to use the airspace without prior notification.
The Turkish military official said Turkey was concerned that if it opened its airspace, the United States would begin flying troops across Turkey into the Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Iraq.
Turkey fears instability in that border region and is looking to move its own troops into the area.
The United States also wanted to use refueling aircraft based at Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, but Turkey had balked at their use, saying it would not be part of the airspace agreement.
U.S. warplanes based in Incirlik have been used to patrol a no-fly zone over northern Iraq and the refuelers were used as part of that mission.
U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson held extensive talks with top foreign ministry officials Thursday and Friday.
Thursday’s vote granting overflight rights followed intense lobbying by the United States, but fell far short of Washington’s original request to send 62,000 soldiers to Turkey to open up a northern front against Iraq that would divide the Iraqi army.
Polls show up to 94 percent of Turks are against a war against Iraq, opposition that contributed to months of delays by Turkey’s government.
U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher welcomed the vote granting airspace rights, but said the United States remained ”opposed to unilateral action by Turkey or by any party in northern Iraq.”
Parliament earlier this month failed to pass a resolution that would have let in U.S. ground troops for an Iraq invasion.
The United States had offered Turkey a package of $15 billion in loans and grants if it lets in U.S. troops for a ground war. But the United States withdrew the aid package as war drew closer and it became clear that even if Turkey voted in favor, the U.S. military would not have time to bring in the units.