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Powell Assures Turkey No
US Plans For Iraq Strikes
12-5-1

ANKARA (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell made clear on Wednesday that Washington had taken no decision to take action against countries such as Iraq in a new phase after Afghanistan of the U.S. war against terrorism.
 
Powell gave the assurance when asked during a visit to NATO ally Turkey if Washington planned action against Iraq. Turkey has long opposed any strikes against Iraq, fearful that turmoil in its neighbor could spread into its own country, particularly the mainly Kurdish southeast.
 
"The president has made no decision with respect to what the next phase in our campaign against terrorism might be...nor has he received any recommendations yet from his advisers as to what he might do next," Powell told reporters at a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.
 
Turkey says it has lost billions of dollars from international sanctions on Iraq imposed after Baghdad's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Turkish financial markets had been concerned that Powell's visit to Ankara would aim to push for Turkish support for an attack on Iraq, which Powell said had been a "sponsor of terrorism over the years."
 
"We have asked for nothing from Turkey because no decisions or recommendations have been made to President Bush," he said.


 
 
 
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