Gul weighs deployment request through Turkey

Turkey's new prime minister has said that his government and the armed forces "very much wish to avoid a war" in Iraq, but were weighing a request by the Bush administration to deploy thousands of U.S. troops through Turkey to create a northern front against Saddam Hussain.

"We strongly value relations with our American friends," Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said in an interview after returning from a five-country Middle East diplomatic mission that had been interpreted as an affirmation of Turkey's antiwar stance.

"We wish to deepen our strategic alliance with the United States. That is our government's policy."

Gul declined to indicate whether Turkey would support the U.S. war effort, but emphasised that the military and civilian leaderships were working together to come to a decision. He denied reports in the Turkish and foreign press that Turkey's military commanders were eager for an American deployment, but were being held back by his government, which came to office in November 3 elections.

"It is unimaginable that our government ... would clash with the military over so vital an issue," said Gul, who met Monday with Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, chief of Turkey's general staff.

Turkey's military leaders have sounded just as skeptical as their civilian counterparts that the overthrow of Saddam would bring any political or economic benefit to Turkey, a member of Nato.

"A war against Iraq would not be in Turkey's interests," Ozkok told reporters last week at a reception hosted by the armed forces. "I've not heard anyone in Turkey say, 'Let's go to war in Iraq.'"

The Bush administration has been increasing pressure on Turkey, which is a key ally and Nato's sole Muslim member, to open its ports and bases for use in a possible war against Iraq.

The United States also has asked Turkey to allow the deployment of tens of thousands of U.S. troops who would transit Turkish territory into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, where they would open a second front against Saddam's forces.

On Monday, 150 U.S. military inspectors arrived in Turkey to begin examining 10 air bases and two ports for possible use by American forces if a war begins. Turkish officials approved the inspection several months go, but then dragged their feet on the final arrangements.

Turkey played a pivotal role in the 1991 Gulf War by opening its bases to U.S. and British warplanes to stage bombing raids against Iraqi targets.

But more than a month after Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz met with Turkish leaders here to seek approval for the new deployment of U.S. troops, Turkey has yet to answer.

U.S. officials have been quoted as saying that from the standpoint of military planning, time was running out for Turkey to make up its mind.

Gul did not confirm that his government would allow the use of Turkish bases in another war, but a source close to the prime minister said that "if push comes to shove, we will allow use of our bases again."

Deployment of U.S. ground troops would be a harder to sell to the public. A recent public opinion poll indicated that 88 perc ent of all Turks are against a war.

Turkish law requires parliamentary approval for the deployment of foreign troops in the country, but officials say they have no plans to go to parliament with such a request before UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports to the Security Council on January 27.

A senior Turkish official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Turkey would no longer insist on a second UN resolution authorising military action against Iraq before joining forces with the United States.

Turkey's main concern is over the possible economic and political fallout a war would bring.

"We suffered greatly in the previous war, especially from an economic standpoint. We do not wish to endure the same hardship again," said Gul.

Turkey says it has lost as much as$100 billion in trade revenue as a result of UN sanctions slapped on Iraq following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The United States has reportedly offered up to $14 billion in loans and grants to help cushion the blow.