Turkey Urges U.S. 'urgently' To Cease Operations In Tall Afar
Watching Turkey a country that is very important to the U.S. agenda if they tilt toward Russia, China or Iran it would be extremely detrimental to Washington.
Background: Turkey was given the honor of infiltrating and politically influencing Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan-- the "Newly Independent States" that will be producing the oil. Turkey was chosen for this because it is considered a "reliable ally" of the U.S. and Germany--it is firmly dominated by U.S. and German imperialism and overseen by a fascist military that operates within NATO. In addition, the majority population of Turkey is closely related--by language and culture--to the Turkic peoples of Central Asia, including the peoples of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. #msg-3775550
The Turkish authorities want to force oil companies and the governments of the Caspian region to use the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC), which is now being built. Oil from Azerbaijan is hardly enough to fill the requirements of the new line, whose chief backer is the United States. The shift from tankers would fulfill the political and economic objectives of the pipeline. There is also the problem of an extra 9 million tons of oil per year that could flow through from Ukraine's Druzhba pipeline to the Black Sea. So Turkey remains advantageously placed for transfer of energy from the Caspian basin to the Mediterranean. #msg-3903474
But lately the Iraq war has been straining US-Turkey ties and Turkey has turned to Iran in some instances. #msg-3677596
I would also question how Turkey feels about the proposed U.S. missile deployment in their backyard. #msg-3972175
-Am
Turkey Urges U.S. 'urgently' To Cease Operations In Tall Afar AFP: 9/10/2004
ANKARA, Sept 10 (AFP) - Turkey called Friday on the United States to halt operations in the northern Iraqi town of Tall Afar as a matter of "urgency," saying it was extremely concerned about the situation of civilians there.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said it was lobbying the White House, the US State Department and the Pentagon to cease attacks.
"The news emerging from Tall Afar is very worrying and being followed with great concern," it added.
The statement said Ankara was pressing US authorities to protect civilian populations, refrain from "disproportionate" use of force and ensure food and medical aid reached residents in the town.
Anatolia news agency reported Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had spoken with his US counterpart Colin Powell to pass on Ankara's concerns about the civilians, many of whom are Turkish-speaking Turkmen.
US commanders claim Tall Afar is a key staging point for foreign fighters infiltrating Iraq via minor roads from the Syrian border to the west.
They say their air and ground assault Thursday killed up to 57 "terrorists." Medics spoke of 45 dead.
The Turkish foreign ministry statement deplored that the US-led operations had caused 50,000 Turkmen to leave their homes in the town.
"The United States must immediately put a stop to this shedding of blood... because the Turkmen have no quarrel with the Americans," it added.
Copyright 2004 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AFP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Agence France Presse.
More than 50 people, many of them civilians, have been killed in US strikes on Tall Afar.
September 13 - Washington’s ambassador to Ankara was called to a meeting Monday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at which Turkey’s concerns over repeated US land and air strikes against the town of Tall Afar in Northern Iraq.
Ambassador Eric Edelman was told of Ankara’s concerns over the situation in the majority Turkomen city, where more than 5-0 people have been killed in US raids. Washington has said that the strikes are targeting militants in the region. However, Turkey has said that many of those killed have been civilians.
Edelman denied reports carried in the Turkish media that the objective of the military action is to drive out the Turkomen community so that the US’ Kurdish allied in Northern Iraq can gain control of the city.
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