ALI BABACAN: US MAY NEED TURKEY TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM IRAQ
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.03.2009 01:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Monday
that the United States earlier told Turkey that it might need Turkey
in general sense while withdrawing troops from Iraq, the Hurriyet
Daily News reports. Babacan said the United States has not yet made
plans about the number of soldiers and the route it would withdraw
the troops, adding that it would inform Turkey about its plans and
Turkey would make assessments about it.
"Iraqi people supports withdrawal of the U.S. soldiers and they want
this to take place soon," Babacan said and noted that Iraq had given
a signal to Turkey to assist this. He said Turkey would of course
consider its own conditions on the matter.
Commenting on scheduled visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Turkey
next month, Babacan said this was a result of the positive impact of
Turkey’s influence both in the region and in the world.
About the agenda of the meeting with Obama, Babacan said
Afghanistan-Pakistan, developments in the Middle East, Iran, the
Caucasus, Balkans, Cyprus, Armenia, as well as Iraq would be discussed
during the talks.
In March 2003, Turkish parliament rejected to allow U.S. troops to
invade Iraq from Turkish territory.