Turkey's agreement to cost US

By ANDREW BUNCOMBE

America's economic arm-twisting appeared to have paid off yesterday as Turkey finally signalled that it would allow the deployment of tens of thousands of United States troops to open a northern front against the Iraqi regime.

The agreement will cost America around US$15 billion ($26.5 billion) in loans and aid packages to bolster the Turkish economy. The deal was reached after a six-hour meeting of a divided Turkish Cabinet which then sent the recommendation to the country's Parliament. A vote in favour of the recommendation is widely expected to be passed.

The nature of the agreement and the atmosphere in which it was squeezed out of Turkey by an increasingly frustrated Washington - and the fact that many in the Turkish Government felt bullied - is indicative of the way in which America and Britain, with help from Spain, are trying to build a majority within the United Nations Security Council to pass the second resolution, tabled by the three countries.

Officials talk of "intense diplomacy" - language that masks the fact that in the effort to gain the nine votes they need from a reluctant Security Council, the gloves are very much off and that in several cases efforts are being made to effectively "buy" votes. This includes telling countries that, with a war against Iraq all but inevitable, they would be advised not to find themselves on the wrong side of the issue and that the future of important trade agreements could hang on their vote.

"It has been firm and pragmatic. At the UN the effort has been very much in reminding countries of their need to stand by their commitments," said one diplomat involved in efforts to secure the nine votes. "I think some of the non-permanent members [of the Security Council] are now wishing they had not applied to be members.

" ... [Economic inducements] are a factor. That is something that is happening between the capitals rather than at the UN. It can be implied or it can be explicit. People know, people are quite aware that this is an important vote ... and that it is an important part of their relationship with the US."

The package to Turkey will include US$5 billion ($8.8 billion) in aid and US$10 billion ($17.6 billion) in loans to cushion the Turkish economy from the impact of any war. But the Bush Administration is keen to avoid having to offer such obvious financial inducements to other countries, conscious that the so-called "coalition of the willing" could quickly become the "coalition of the bought".

"We think the case is strong on its merits," one senior administration official said. "We're looking to our friends to work with us to confront a common danger ... So the question doesn't arise in those terms."

- INDEPENDENT