Turkey to send trade minister, businessmen to Iraq

Ministry officials said on Thursday that Kursad Tuzmen would be accompanied by energy and foreign ministry officials on the visit. It was not yet clear who he would meet in Baghdad. NATO member Turkey opposes a war in Iraq, fearing economic damage and regional turmoil. But as a close ally of Washington it is expected to provide at least air space and other logistic support if the United States does go to war.
Turkey already allows U.S. and British warplanes to use its southern Incirlik airbase to patrol a no-fly zone over northern Iraq, much to Baghdad’s annoyance. Turkey says it has lost more than $30 billion as a result of the 1991 Gulf War and the subsequent U.N. sanctions on Iraq which was one of Ankara’s main trading partners before the war. The Turkish government has resisted making a firm commitment to supporting Washington militarily and has urged a peaceful solution to the current crisis.