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CNN Live At Daybreak
Turkey's Role in War
Aired December 04, 2002 - 06:05 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: In case the weapons inspections do fail, the United States is also consulting with its allies about a possible war with Iraq. One key ally in the region, as I just said, is Turkey.
CNN's Jane Arraf is in Ankara with the latest on talks there.
And we're getting so many conflicting reports about what exactly is up there -- Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, the bottom line, really, is that in these talks with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, who has just left a few hours ago back to the U.S., eventually Turkey indicated that it is on board. And according to the Americans, that was really surprising somewhat and very pleasant news.
Now, this is a new Turkish government with Islamic roots, and there had been some question as to how they would respond to all of this. But they seem to have responded, in terms of the American point of view, very, very well.
Now, Wolfowitz, before he left, spoke to a small group of reporters, and essentially indicated that Turkey could be one of the United States new best friends in this region.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL WOLFOWITZ, DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY: The attitude that we encountered was very encouraging, not surprising actually, but very encouraging that we find this new government is even more committed, if anything, than the last government to the idea of the Turkish-U.S. partnership and alliance, that they have said they will be with us in very clear and strong terms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: Now, where this confusion comes from is exactly what support Turkey is going to give to the United States, and that's still a sensitive issue. The bottom line is they appear to have agreed in principle to allow use of their air bases as a start, those bases for use for any U.N. authorized attack on Iraq.
Now, they have to play that pretty diplomatically, since this is a majority Muslim country, but the bottom line, again, is that the U.S. seems to have succeeded in making this part of this foundation of a coalition that it is trying to build against Iraq.
COSTELLO: All right, Jane Arraf, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired December 4, 2002 - 06:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In case the weapons inspections do fail, the United States is also consulting with its allies about a possible war with Iraq. One key ally in the region, as I just said, is Turkey.
CNN's Jane Arraf is in Ankara with the latest on talks there.
And we're getting so many conflicting reports about what exactly is up there -- Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, the bottom line, really, is that in these talks with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, who has just left a few hours ago back to the U.S., eventually Turkey indicated that it is on board. And according to the Americans, that was really surprising somewhat and very pleasant news.
Now, this is a new Turkish government with Islamic roots, and there had been some question as to how they would respond to all of this. But they seem to have responded, in terms of the American point of view, very, very well.
Now, Wolfowitz, before he left, spoke to a small group of reporters, and essentially indicated that Turkey could be one of the United States new best friends in this region.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL WOLFOWITZ, DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY: The attitude that we encountered was very encouraging, not surprising actually, but very encouraging that we find this new government is even more committed, if anything, than the last government to the idea of the Turkish-U.S. partnership and alliance, that they have said they will be with us in very clear and strong terms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: Now, where this confusion comes from is exactly what support Turkey is going to give to the United States, and that's still a sensitive issue. The bottom line is they appear to have agreed in principle to allow use of their air bases as a start, those bases for use for any U.N. authorized attack on Iraq.
Now, they have to play that pretty diplomatically, since this is a majority Muslim country, but the bottom line, again, is that the U.S. seems to have succeeded in making this part of this foundation of a coalition that it is trying to build against Iraq.
COSTELLO: All right, Jane Arraf, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
