Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Turkey Army Chief Wants U.S. Troops in Country
Aired March 05, 2003 - 06:08 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: We've got Jane Arraf back, so let's go to Turkey now. Turkey's military weighing in on U.S. troops in their country for a possible war on Iraq. Is there a vote?
Jane Arraf on the phone with this developing story.
Jane -- we're dying to know, what's happening there?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, an unusual statement from the head of the chief of staff, General Hilmi Oskok, very rarely speaks to reporters. This morning on the sidelines of a meeting with a visitor, he told reporters that the Turkish military agreed with the government in its motion to allow U.S. troops to be based in Turkey to open up the northern front.
Now, that motion, of course, was very narrowly rejected by parliament at the weekend.
Now, General Ozkok said that the military respected the decision of parliament, but at the same time, he put forth a number of reasons why Turkey should get involved, essentially backing another vote in parliament to allow those U.S. troops to be here. He said if Turkey didn't get involved, it would be on the sidelines, and it wouldn't have any say in the war and in what happens afterwards. A clear reference to Turkey's fears that Iraqi Kurds could get more power and Turkey will have no say as to what goes on with that.
He also said if the northern front were opened, then that northern front would be, in U.S. terms, tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers based in Turkey going into Iraq through the north to provide a second front against Baghdad and securing the northern oil fields. He said if that happens, it would lessen the war and limit the damage.
As it stands now, he said, if parliament -- if the country continues to not allow those U.S. troops to be here, it will suffer the effects of a war and receive none of the benefits of compensation to limit some of the damage to its economy -- Carol.
COSTELLO: As in billions of U.S. dollars. Jane Arraf, thanks for an update on that developing story out of Turkey. We'll see if that man's words can push another vote through Turkey's parliament.
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 March 5, 2003 - 06:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've got Jane Arraf back, so let's go to Turkey now. Turkey's military weighing in on U.S. troops in their country for a possible war on Iraq. Is there a vote?
Jane Arraf on the phone with this developing story.
Jane -- we're dying to know, what's happening there?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, an unusual statement from the head of the chief of staff, General Hilmi Oskok, very rarely speaks to reporters. This morning on the sidelines of a meeting with a visitor, he told reporters that the Turkish military agreed with the government in its motion to allow U.S. troops to be based in Turkey to open up the northern front.
Now, that motion, of course, was very narrowly rejected by parliament at the weekend.
Now, General Ozkok said that the military respected the decision of parliament, but at the same time, he put forth a number of reasons why Turkey should get involved, essentially backing another vote in parliament to allow those U.S. troops to be here. He said if Turkey didn't get involved, it would be on the sidelines, and it wouldn't have any say in the war and in what happens afterwards. A clear reference to Turkey's fears that Iraqi Kurds could get more power and Turkey will have no say as to what goes on with that.
He also said if the northern front were opened, then that northern front would be, in U.S. terms, tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers based in Turkey going into Iraq through the north to provide a second front against Baghdad and securing the northern oil fields. He said if that happens, it would lessen the war and limit the damage.
As it stands now, he said, if parliament -- if the country continues to not allow those U.S. troops to be here, it will suffer the effects of a war and receive none of the benefits of compensation to limit some of the damage to its economy -- Carol.
COSTELLO: As in billions of U.S. dollars. Jane Arraf, thanks for an update on that developing story out of Turkey. We'll see if that man's words can push another vote through Turkey's parliament.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
