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Turkey: Deal for U.S. bases possible by Tuesday
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A final agreement between the United States and Turkey over the use of Turkish military bases for a possible war with Iraq could be reached as early as Tuesday, Turkey's ambassador to the United States said Sunday. "I believe we are close to one," Faruk Logoglu said on CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer." His comments were made as a Turkish convoy of trucks and ambulances, including military vehicles with no visible weapons, was spotted by CNN traveling toward the Iraqi border from southeast Turkey. The convoy's mission was unknown. U.S. and Turkish officials in Ankara tried to hammer out details of an agreement Sunday. Once officials from both sides agree on a version, it will have to win approval from Turkey's parliament. Logoglu predicted it could be presented and passed at a parliamentary session Tuesday. "I don't think there is any confusion about the fact that Turkey wants to be supportive of the U.S. effort, as sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council," he said. Logoglu said a newspaper report that put the package of inducements sought by Turkey at $10 billion in new grants was "basically" correct. Washington has offered $6 billion in grants, or a substantially larger amount if Turkey chooses loans. Turkey could also choose a combination of grants and loans, a senior Turkish official told CNN. "We are trying to bridge the gap through some creative effort on both sides," Logoglu said Sunday. "Since we don't have the final dot on the agreement, I would like to refrain from expressing any specific numbers." But, Logoglu added, "this is not really just about money. The economic package is just one pillar of what we are trying to obtain." U.S. and Turkish officials were focusing on "three basic areas," he said, "economic, military and political." Turkey has complained it was never fairly compensated for damage incurred because of the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Logoglu said passage of a new resolution on Iraq by the U.N. Security Council could prove key to Turkey's continued support of the effort. "It certainly would help our government," he said. "It would also help a lot of other countries that are thinking of joining the international coalition." Should there be a U.S.-led attack on Iraq, Turkish troops would join U.S. troops entering northern Iraq, primarily to address humanitarian needs of the region's Kurdish population, Logoglu said. "The Turkish troops are not going into Iraq to fight." Kurds in Iraq have expressed concern that Turkey would use the war to attempt to take over areas of northern Iraq over which the Kurds have autonomy. Turkish officials have rejected those concerns. "I think it's important to remember [their] security is owed, in large part, to what Turkey has done for them," Logoglu said. The Kurds have been involved in discussions with Turkish and U.S. officials, he added. Logoglu said the possibility of terrorist attacks on Turkey should it allow U.S. forces to use its land to launch an attack on Iraq was "a very real concern." Another concern, he said, is that Iraq stay together territorially after a war. Despite assurance from the Bush administration that the United States would ensure this does not happen, "in the days that follow, there will be groups that may want to move in different directions." The Turkish convoy was seen by CNN passing through the towns of Cizre and Siopi at 7:30 a.m. (12:30 a.m. EST). It included 43 light armored military vehicles, five ambulances, seven generator trailers and 20 heavy trucks. Trailing them were about 20 civilian trucks loaded with wood similar to 2-by-4s, which could be used for the floors of tents or refugee housing.
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