Turkish foreign ministers confer on Iraq - Balkans

Turkey, as a "front line state" neighbouring Iraq, plays a crucial role in Powell's efforts to reinvigorate the international coalition opposed to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. Cem also briefed Powell on Turkey's ailing economy, and received Powell's support for reform measures announced in Ankara, Boucher said. Powell was holding out the carrot of economic gains should Turkey support the revised sanctions against Baghdad.

"Clearly there are opportunities in the process of targeting sanctions and focusing sanctions for neighbouring states to increase their trade with Iraq in consumer goods," Boucher said. Washington's main concerns are that Iraqi oil exports be placed under the U.N. "oil for food" programme, which restricts how Baghdad can spend its oil revenues, and that Hussein not be able to smuggle sensitive military technologies across the border, he said. Cem and Powell also discussed Greek-Turkish relations and Turkey's ties with NATO. Turkey and the United States, as NATO members who are not part of the European Union, have expressed similar reservations about the E.U.'s proposed defensive force.

(dpa)