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CNN Live Sunday
Erdogan Wins Turkish Elections
Aired March 09, 2003 - 17:28 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: The balance of power may be shifting in Turkey, and so might U.S. efforts to get troops deployed on Turkish soil for a possible war against Iraq. That is, of course, if the man who says he won an important election actually did win. CNN's Harris Whitbeck takes a look at today's vote and its potential impact on U.S war plans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Traditional celebrations of a political victory that might well change the course of Turkish politics, U.S./Turkey relations and the possible war with Iraq. Justice and development party leader Tayyip Erdogan was elected to parliament. And as chief of the ruling party, he is expected to become Turkey's newest prime minister. The changing in government, U.S. officials say, has raised hopes that Turkey will reconsider letting some 62,000 U.S. troops establish a ground attack against Iraq from the north, so much so that U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson spent more than three hours meeting with the ruling party leaders on Sunday, fine tuning the proposal that parliament turned down once.
ROBERT PEARSON, US AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: I think this gives a very positive stimulus to our efforts. And we will continue to work and give this our very best efforts to see if we can finalize all the details.
WHITBECK: Analysts say a second motion should have a better chance of passage. Recent demonstrations against Turkey in Kurdish controlled northern Iraq have many Turks demanding a say should war break out. The fear is that Iraqi Kurds would try to establish an independent state, riding out Turkish Kurds who have fought for independence in Turkey, as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think has made blood boil a little on the Turkish side. So, you know, now there is the notion that, you know, something is going to happen there. Turkey was very right in wanting to establish a presence there and, therefore, this is why the motion must pass.
WHITBECK: While the United States is already been moving military equipment to border staging areas, it needs the authorization for troop movements to come quickly.
(on camera): That might not be as quickly as it would hope. The new government still has to be organized and a new motion presented to parliament. And that might not fit the timetable Washington war planners have in mind.
Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Ankara, Turkey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 9, 2003 - 17:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The balance of power may be shifting in Turkey, and so might U.S. efforts to get troops deployed on Turkish soil for a possible war against Iraq. That is, of course, if the man who says he won an important election actually did win. CNN's Harris Whitbeck takes a look at today's vote and its potential impact on U.S war plans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Traditional celebrations of a political victory that might well change the course of Turkish politics, U.S./Turkey relations and the possible war with Iraq. Justice and development party leader Tayyip Erdogan was elected to parliament. And as chief of the ruling party, he is expected to become Turkey's newest prime minister. The changing in government, U.S. officials say, has raised hopes that Turkey will reconsider letting some 62,000 U.S. troops establish a ground attack against Iraq from the north, so much so that U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson spent more than three hours meeting with the ruling party leaders on Sunday, fine tuning the proposal that parliament turned down once.
ROBERT PEARSON, US AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: I think this gives a very positive stimulus to our efforts. And we will continue to work and give this our very best efforts to see if we can finalize all the details.
WHITBECK: Analysts say a second motion should have a better chance of passage. Recent demonstrations against Turkey in Kurdish controlled northern Iraq have many Turks demanding a say should war break out. The fear is that Iraqi Kurds would try to establish an independent state, riding out Turkish Kurds who have fought for independence in Turkey, as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think has made blood boil a little on the Turkish side. So, you know, now there is the notion that, you know, something is going to happen there. Turkey was very right in wanting to establish a presence there and, therefore, this is why the motion must pass.
WHITBECK: While the United States is already been moving military equipment to border staging areas, it needs the authorization for troop movements to come quickly.
(on camera): That might not be as quickly as it would hope. The new government still has to be organized and a new motion presented to parliament. And that might not fit the timetable Washington war planners have in mind.
Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Ankara, Turkey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
