Turkey 'close' to peace force deal

Cheney, left, said he was 'pleased' with talks with Ecevit

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey is close to taking over the reigns of the international peace-keeping force in Afghanistan, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has said.

Cheney made the comment after talks with Turkey's Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit at the end of his 11-nation tour of the Middle East.

The vice president's trip has also concentrated on seeking support for possible future action against Iraq and pressing for an Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire.

He expressed confidence that Turkey would accept the responsibility of taking command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), currently under the command of Britain.

"I think we're pretty close," he said. "They've agreed to consider the possibility," Reuters news agency reported.

Turkey, the only Muslim nation member of NATO, has been lined up to replace the UK as head of ISAF for some time.

But negotiations are continuing over details such as the timing of the hand-over. Other outstanding issues include financial support, how forces would be transported, communications and intelligence support.

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UK Prime Minister Tony Blair wants the switch to happen by April 1, but has added it could be extended slightly.

He has pledged 1,700 British troops as back up to the U.S. military's campaign to flush out the remaining Taliban and al Qaeda fighters hiding in Afghanistan.

Cheney said $228 million in new military aid for Turkey will be proposed by U.S. President George W. Bush's administration.

About $28 million would go directly to help pay for Turkish leadership of the force. The remaining $200 million would be economic assistance.

It will be included in the president's administration supplemental budget request due before Congress next week.

White House officials said that in all, the Bush administration is seeking about $1 billion in new help for allies in the war on terror.

Cheney said the United States and Turkey would conduct consultations in the coming days over the logistics of the force, which the vice president wants to keep isolated to Afghanistan's capital city, Kabul.

Turkey had been concerned it could be drawn into the continuing fighting.

He added: "The United States will clearly have to find ways to deal with problems that may arise in Mazar-i-Sharif...or Kandahar."

Afghanistan's interim leader Hamid Karzai has been outspoken about his desire to expand ISAF to the rest of the country, saying the force's absence has created a security vacuum.

Cheney said he had told Ecevit that military action was not imminent against neighbouring Iraq.

Turkey fears that action against Iraq, as the next stage of a U.S. "campaign against terror," could cause instability within its frontiers and disrupt its frail economy.

Ecevit had first raised the issue of military aid back in January, when he asked the U.S. for help with Turkey's debt for international military operations.

Turkey has also sought assurances that other NATO countries would maintain their presence in Afghanistan and that Turkey would receive adequate logistical support in operations.

Cheney dismissed speculation in Turkish media that he had had disagreements in his meeting with Ecevit and had as a result cancelled a joint news conference.

"There was never a plan, as far as I was aware of, for a joint press conference," Cheney said.

He said his meeting with Ecevit had gone well. "We had a very good meeting. He was very pleased," Reuters added.

Discussions were held last Thursday at the Turkish foreign ministry between delegations led by the U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, James Dobbins; the British envoy to Afghanistan, David Reddaway; and Ambassador Aydemir Erman for Turkey, who is the foreign ministry's special coordinator for Afghanistan.

Cheney's two-pronged Mideast mission

Cheney flies home to the U.S. from Ankara on Wednesday. His trip had also taken in London at the beginning of the tour.

Other countries visited were Israel, Oman, Egypt, Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

The trip was part of a two-pronged mission which sought to gain support for possible military action against Iraq and an attempt at securing a Mideast cease-fire.

Iraq is one of the three nations mentioned in President Bush's "axis of evil" and speculation has been mounting that it will be the next target in the U.S. war against terror.

Bush is wary of reports that Hussein is renewing its efforts to build stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

Many Arab leaders have said they would not support new military action against Hussein, but U.S. officials said Cheney has been encouraged by the private discussions he has had with Arab leaders during the trip.

Bahrain's King Hamad and Crown Prince Salman called for diplomacy with Iraq but indicated the United States would be allowed to use its military bases if needed.

King Abdullah of Jordan told Cheney that a U.S.-led military campaign against Iraq would be disastrous for the region and would undermine the broader coalition in the war on terrorism.

Also on Cheney's agenda was an attempt to push for a Mideast cease-fire and the a discussion of the Saudi peace plan likely to be unveiled at an Arab League meeting in Beirut later this month.

He held talks with Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after which he said he was ready to meet Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat if he complied to the Tenet Plan requirements.