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CNN Live At Daybreak

Cheney May Return to Middle East Next Week

Aired March 20, 2002 - 06:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As Vice President Dick Cheney wraps up his 12-nation tour, there is word he may return to the Middle East as early as next week. CNN's John King is traveling with the vice president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Vice President Dick Cheney heads home to the United States from his final stop here in Ankara, Turkey. He says Turkey is poised to agree to accept the lead role, take over command of the International Security Force in Afghanistan from Great Britain. Turkey's role -- potential role in taking over that security force was the subject of discussions last night between Vice President Cheney and Turkish Prime Minister Ecevit. Mr. Cheney says still a few issues to be resolved, but that he is confident in the coming Turkey will indeed accept the responsibility of taking command of the security force within Afghanistan.

Some key distinctions. For one, Mr. Cheney says the United States is trying to help the process along by giving Turkey an additional $228 million in assistance. That money will be included in a Bush administration supplemental budget request due to go to the U.S. Congress within the next few days.

Also, Mr. Cheney says Turkey wants a few questions answered about logistic matters. How would its troops be airlifted in? How large would the force need to be? What other communications, intelligence and logistics support would be necessary? Mr. Cheney says those consultations will continue as well in the days ahead.

He also says the commitment will be to keep the security force isolated to the area in and around Kabul. That leaves in the view of Afghanistan's interim leader, Hamid Karzai, a security vacuum in much of the rest of the country, including Kandahar, the one-time spiritual base of the Taliban. Mr. Cheney says United States troops in Afghanistan will have to assume that role.

Mr. Cheney noting at one point he says there is a great temptation of folks to declare Afghanistan a closed matter, simply because we, meaning the United States, are not bombing every day. That simply is not the case.

So as Mr. Cheney told us today that he expects Turkey to take over the leadership of the International Security Force in the relative near future, he also made clear that U.S. combat troops on the ground in Afghanistan are there for quite some time to come.

John King, CNN, Ankara, Turkey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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