Michael: > I was not thinking of the IMF bailout by itself, but in conjunction with > all the $$ that they US will throw at Turkey. I assume that the US > expects Turkey to do a lot of its dirty work in central Asia.
I am not sure if this is what the US expects, although it is highly likely. What I am sure, however, is that this is what Turkey expects. After a summit that took place yesterday, headed by the Prime Minister Ecevit, where other attendees were the Chief of Staff of the Turkish Military and several cabinet members, including the Defense Minister, it was announced that Turkey reached an agreement with the EU on the European security and defense policy. By the way, according to the article from which I got this news (it is here: <www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/122292.asp>, but it is in Turkish), this was brokered by the US and UK, and the US and UK are very happy with this outcome. Well, until recently, Turkey and EU had a major dispute on that policy and Turkey has been the main, if not the only, obstacle before the creation of an EU rapid reaction force. Take a look at the FT article below for details. Why would Turkey back off like that unless she expects to get something in return? I think something very ugly is being cooked up and I am sure we will get to taste it in the not-so-distant future. Given that there isn't much we can do about this, we need to wait and see I would say. Sabri +++++++++++ EUROPE: Turkey and EU move closer to resolution of defence dispute Financial Times; Nov 28, 2001 By LEYLA BOULTON Turkey has narrowed differences with the European Union over the creation of an EU rapid reaction force but has yet to lift its veto on granting the entity access to Nato assets. Western diplomats said that progress made in talks in Ankara on Monday between Britain, representing the EU, and Turkey could lay the ground for resolving a long-standing and acrimonious dispute over the European security and defence policy next month. Peter Ricketts, political director at the UK foreign office, gave Turkey fresh assurances that the new EU force would not be used in areas that harmed Turkish security interests. In particular, Turkey fears that Greece might persuade its EU partners to use the new force to Turkey's disadvantage in Cyprus or the Aegean, where the two countries have unresolved disputes. On the main stumbling block, however, the EU offered no concession on Turkey's request for the right to participate in any operation by the new force which did not use Nato assets but which took place in its geographical vicinity. The EU says its room for manoeuvre is constrained by the Nice treaty which stipulates that involvement of non-EU members of Nato in so-called autonomous EU military operations is to be by invitation only. Turkey, a key Nato ally with long-term prospects of EU membership, has a number of reasons for seeking what the EU dismisses as a desire for special treatment. Western military planners agree that a majority of the situations in which the new force might be deployed could involve Turkey's backyard. EU diplomats suggested yesterday that it was now up to political and military leaders in Ankara to decide whether to take or leave the EU's latest offer in coming days. In a follow-up visit, Guy Verhofstadt, the prime minister of Belgium, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, yesterday flew into Ankara for a meeting with Bulent Ecevit, his Turkish counterpart. Colin Powell, the US secretary of state, is also likely to discuss the issue when he visits Ankara next Tuesday, before an EU summit and meetings of Nato foreign and defence ministers at which an agreement could be reached. Copyright: The Financial Times Limited 1995-1998
