ANKARA, March 17: Turkey signalled on Monday that it may be ready to take urgent steps to assist its NATO ally the United States in any war on neighbouring Iraq.

Turkey’s prime minister, president and military chief met for talks that the defence minister had hinted might satisfy urgent US demands to use Turkish airspace and ground bases.

“Turkey has decided to take urgent steps to preserve its national interests,” presidential spokesman Tacan Ildem told reporters after the meeting.

He gave no details but the steps would be in accordance with recommendations of the influential National Security Council, a partly military body which in January urged the government to take military measures to safeguard Turkey’s interests.

Two weeks ago, parliament unexpectedly rejected a government proposal to allow 62,000 troops to deploy in Turkey for an attack. But US forces are still working on Turkey’s south coast, preparing the groundwork for a possible deployment.

Until now Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has shown no sign of urgency over the US requests, alarming investors who fear Turkey could forfeit a package of up to $30 billion in US grants and loan guarantees linked to military cooperation.

Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul had earlier said there was little chance that Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party government would ask parliament to reconsider the resolution.—Reuters