Turkey Says Will Not Fight in Any Iraq War

Turkey opposes any war as potentially destabilizing and has campaigned with regional countries to try to bring a peaceful settlement. Ankara also fears economic disruption could undermine the country’s recovery from economic crisis.
Gul said he had not abandoned hope war could be averted. "We still believe peace can be achieved," he said. "The reason we have not combined the two measures (on allowing U.S. forces) is to give a chance for peace," he said.
Turkish forces are already inside northern Iraq and more are expected to join them in the coming months but Turkey says the deployment is aimed at providing for any refugees and preventing the break-up of Iraq.
Turkey is concerned that Kurds in the north of Iraq could use a war to stake a bid for their own independent state. Ankara fears Kurdish independence in Iraq could fuel violent separatism among its own Kurds.
Iraqi Kurdish leaders were in the Turkish capital on Thursday for talks with U.S. and Turkish officials expected to focus on plans for a post-war Iraq. U.S. Deputy Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs John Taylor is also expected in Ankara soon to discuss U.S. aid for Turkey to offset the cost of any conflict.