Powell Calls Turkey’s P.M. for Settlement

CNN reported that the United States gave Turkey 48 hours to respond to the proposed aid package, but U.S. officials had no confirmation of the report. "We are waiting to hear back from the Turks," Powell told reporters. "I think they understand the importance of this issue to us, and to our efforts, and they’ve got it under consideration now." Powell added, "Time is moving, but I don’t have a deadline I’d like to announce right now." A senior U.S. official, also asked about the report, said the United States wants an answer right away but said he was unaware of a specific deadline. The dispute with Turkey is only one of many problems the Bush administration is having as it tries to line up support for a possible war with Iraq. A new U.N. resolution demanding Iraq’s disarmament and testing the Security Council’s resolve will be introduced soon, Boucher said. In a half-hour phone conversation, Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair plotted strategy for presenting the resolution to the Security Council. Sean McCormack, a White House spokesman, would not comment on whether the leaders made decisions about language, timing or the sponsor of the resolution. Boucher dismissed two days of speeches by other governments at the council disapproving of force to disarm Iraq.
"It’s a matter of the Security Council taking its responsibility," Boucher said. "I know that a lot of speeches are being made by a lot of people." Powell, in his conversation with Gul, "stressed the importance of reaching a decision very soon," Boucher said.
"We understand these are difficult issues," the spokesman said while repeatedly praising Turkey as a valued U.S. ally.
At issue is the size of an economic aid package that would open the way for Turkey’s parliament to approve the deployment of tens of thousands of U.S. combat soldiers.
Turkey has delayed a vote on the troops, saying a multibillion- dollar aid package must first be approved that would compensate Ankara for any losses during a war with Iraq.
Ships carrying equipment for a U.S. infantry division are already at sea and Washington is pressing for a quick answer. The United States wants to base tens of thousands of soldiers in Turkey to open a northern front against Iraq should there be war.
The support of Turkey, a Muslim country, for force as an option to disarm Iraq would be in sharp contrast to repeated statements by France, Germany and other NATO allies that further U.N. inspections not war is the best remedy.
Bush praised NATO for its action in providing spy planes and defensive military equipment "to help protect our Turkish ally from a potential attack from Iraq," but did not mention the latest dispute in a brief statement to reporters during a meeting Wednesday with NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson.
For his part, Robertson said, "That’s what the alliance of free nations is all about." Neither Bush nor Robertson would take questions. In Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leader of Turkey’s ruling party, said there had been no positive development on negotiations with the United States.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said time was running out for Turkey to decide whether it would accept the U.S. offer. Asked if the United States had effectively put its final offer on the table, Fleischer said, "That is a pretty good way to describe it."
Turkey is demanding $10 billion in grants and up to $20 billion in long-term loans, diplomats said. Turkey’s NTV television said Wednesday the United States had offered Turkey $7 billion in grants and military debt write-offs. An earlier package called for $4 billion to $15 billion in grants, debt forgiveness and loans, depending on the impact of a war.
Parliament had been expected to vote Tuesday on allowing in the troops, but Turkish officials said a vote was out of the question until a financial agreement was reached. Turkey’s population is overwhelmingly opposed to a war with Iraq and Turkey’s new government has been hesitant to back the United States.
Boucher, touching on this sentiment, said, "We, like the Turkish government and many others, are still hoping we can find a way to resolve this peacefully."