Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Election in Turkey May Change Deployment Status of U.S. Troops

Aired March 09, 2003 - 09:04   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Washington, of course, is closely watching today's special election in Turkey. A new prime minister might be able to change the country's stance about the deployment of 60,000 U.S. troops in Turkey. Let's check it out, CNN's Harris Whitbeck in Ankara watching the results.
Harris, what's the latest?

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Anderson. Leaders of the ruling party here in Ankara have been following this election in the southern border town of Cyril (ph) throughout the day. If the ruling party wins there, the current ruling party leader, Tahid (ph) Eroogan, would become a member of parliament. Probably on Wednesday he would become the country's new prime minister.

The United States sees the change in government as the best opportunity it now has to try to present before parliament a proposal that would, in fact, allow more than 60,000 U.S. troops to use Turkey as the staging area to launch a northern front in a war against Iraq.

Now, the second proposal to be put forth would not come anytime soon. Again, the new government would have to be formed and that wouldn't happen until Wednesday. The U.S., of course, has been following events here on the ground closely.

The U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson, spent about three and a half hours at party headquarters this morning talking to the party leaders. He said he was here to clear up any misunderstandings that might have occurred during the negotiation of the -- during the last attempt to gain parliamentary approval of this.

And he did seem to indicate that those negotiations are ongoing, and the party leaders have said - have given indications that a second motion would be put forth before parliament. As you know, the chief of staff of the armed force did come out a few days ago saying he felt that whether Turkey liked it or not, it was in the country's best strategic and geopolitical interest to be involved in any U.S. military action in northern Iraq.

Anderson?

COOPER: Harris, obviously, the clock is ticking on all of this. Even if this guy does become the new prime minister, what is the earliest -- I mean -- and if he was able to convince the Turkish parliament to reverse themselves, what's the earliest a new decision would come? WHITBECK: Well, I mean, people are talking about next weekend. As I said, a new government would not be formed until Wednesday or Thursday at the earliest. And the feeling here is that, it would be a couple of days after that before the new motion could be put forth before parliament.

We have heard that as soon as that motion is passed, if that, in fact, happens, those U.S. ships, more than 30 U.S. ships sitting in the Mediterranean would move in almost immediately to start offloading the cargo they have. They're carrying mostly equipment for the 4th Infantry Division.

COOPER: Harris Whitbeck, live in Ankara, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Troops>


Aired March 9, 2003 - 09:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Washington, of course, is closely watching today's special election in Turkey. A new prime minister might be able to change the country's stance about the deployment of 60,000 U.S. troops in Turkey. Let's check it out, CNN's Harris Whitbeck in Ankara watching the results.
Harris, what's the latest?

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Anderson. Leaders of the ruling party here in Ankara have been following this election in the southern border town of Cyril (ph) throughout the day. If the ruling party wins there, the current ruling party leader, Tahid (ph) Eroogan, would become a member of parliament. Probably on Wednesday he would become the country's new prime minister.

The United States sees the change in government as the best opportunity it now has to try to present before parliament a proposal that would, in fact, allow more than 60,000 U.S. troops to use Turkey as the staging area to launch a northern front in a war against Iraq.

Now, the second proposal to be put forth would not come anytime soon. Again, the new government would have to be formed and that wouldn't happen until Wednesday. The U.S., of course, has been following events here on the ground closely.

The U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson, spent about three and a half hours at party headquarters this morning talking to the party leaders. He said he was here to clear up any misunderstandings that might have occurred during the negotiation of the -- during the last attempt to gain parliamentary approval of this.

And he did seem to indicate that those negotiations are ongoing, and the party leaders have said - have given indications that a second motion would be put forth before parliament. As you know, the chief of staff of the armed force did come out a few days ago saying he felt that whether Turkey liked it or not, it was in the country's best strategic and geopolitical interest to be involved in any U.S. military action in northern Iraq.

Anderson?

COOPER: Harris, obviously, the clock is ticking on all of this. Even if this guy does become the new prime minister, what is the earliest -- I mean -- and if he was able to convince the Turkish parliament to reverse themselves, what's the earliest a new decision would come? WHITBECK: Well, I mean, people are talking about next weekend. As I said, a new government would not be formed until Wednesday or Thursday at the earliest. And the feeling here is that, it would be a couple of days after that before the new motion could be put forth before parliament.

We have heard that as soon as that motion is passed, if that, in fact, happens, those U.S. ships, more than 30 U.S. ships sitting in the Mediterranean would move in almost immediately to start offloading the cargo they have. They're carrying mostly equipment for the 4th Infantry Division.

COOPER: Harris Whitbeck, live in Ankara, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Troops>