February 26, 2003	Wednesday	Zul Hijjah 24, 1423

ANKARA, Feb 25: The Turkish government asked parliament on Tuesday to allow 62,000 US troops to use the country as a springboard for a possible attack on Iraq, but faced growing dissent ahead of a parliamentary vote on the deployment.

In a motion sent to parliament, the government also requested a permission to dispatch its own forces to northern Iraq.

“Time is running out for a peaceful resolution of the increasingly escalating crisis... A process which poses serious threats and risks to Turkey’s security is starting,” the motion said.

It asked legislators to approve “the temporary deployment in Turkey... of a maximum of 62,000 military personnel.—AFP