WASHINGTON, March 20: The White House thanked Turkey on Thursday for opening its airspace to US warplanes, but ruled out reviving a multi-billion dollar aid package.

“There had been discussion of a package of aid for Turkey that was contingent on Turkey’s acceptance of a total cooperation package. That did not develop and that package is not on the table and that package will not be on the table,” said spokesman Ari Fleischer.

“We appreciate Turkey’s acting as they have,” he said after Turkey’s parliament gave concrete backing to the US-led war against Iraq, just hours after an opening blitz on its southeastern neighbor.

The parliament’s refusal on March 1 to allow the deployment of 62,000 US soldiers on Turkish soil for a possible invasion of Iraq from the north has proved costly to Ankara.

Exasperated with Turkish foot-dragging, Washington withdrew a six-billion dollar aid package to offset war-related damages to the frail Turkish economy.

In a closed-door session, the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) forced through the motion on overflight rights, but ruled out offering Turkish bases even for refuelling—AFP