N. Iraq Is A Condition For 8.5-Billion-Dollar Loan

Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that the U.S. Senate put forward a condition in the agreement for THE 8.5-billion-dollar loan of U.S. to Turkey, which stipulated that Turkey should not send troops to Northern Iraq unilaterally.Sahin said that this was not a new condition and it was already in the agreement. Upon a question on what will happen if Turkey had to enter Northern Iraq to fight PKK-KADEK, Sahin said that necessary announcement would be made after the government tackled the issue.On whether the agreement should be forwarded to Parliament, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said, “I think submitting such agreements to Parliamentary approval is not stipulated by the Constitution.”That U.S. demanded as a condition from Turkey not to enter Northern Iraq, was leaked to the press last week. Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said yesterday after the cabinet meeting that “The loan has been offered by the U.S., not asked by Turkey.”American sources also confirmed that sending troops to Northern Iraq would mean that Turkey did not collaborate with their country. �