March 19, 2003	Wednesday	Muharram 15, 1424

WASHINGTON, March 18: The United States has asked Turkey to at least allow overflights for an attack on Iraq and would make a financial offer if Ankara agrees, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday.

But the offer of six billion dollars, made last month during negotiations on using Turkish territory to launch a ground attack on northern Iraq, has expired, Mr Powell told a group of reporters.

“We’ll wait and see what the Turkish government is able to do and what the parliament is able to do and then we can respond to what is on the table or not,” he said.

Powell spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul about a new arrangement on Monday and the Turkish government on Tuesday worked to cobble a deal together.

“In the next couple of days there are things that Turkey can do ... in the event of military action in the near future. That’s what I talked to the foreign minister about yesterday, the things that are uppermost in our minds,” he said.

Asked to give examples, Powell said: “Overflights.”

“My colleagues in the Defense Department still feel that there are things Turkey can do some distance in the future ... We would not shut down in the near future our opportunities to get greater cooperation from Turkey,” he added.

ERDOGAN: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday hinted that his government was prepared to assist the United States in its military operations against Iraq.

“Despite the differences (between the US and Turkey in perception) on the Iraqi crisis, the fundamental strategic and political reality is the alliance between Turkey and the United States,” Mr Erdogan told parliament.

“Our government considers it important to act in a manner appropriate to the importance and function of our alliance with the United States,” he added.

Erdogan’s comments came just ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the content of a new motion to provide logistical support to a possible US-led invasion of Iraq.

The motion is expected to be submitted to parliament after the cabinet meeting, and Erdogan said that he expected a vote on Thursday.—Reuters\AFP