August 17, 2010Turkey, U.S. speed up talks on cooperation in troop pullout from Iraq
Turkey and the United States have sped up talks over their cooperation in the U.S. forces' pullout process from Iraq, local newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported on Monday.
The two countries have increased the frequency of talks on using the Turkish soil to transfer U.S. troops, arms and logistics equipment out of Iraq, the newspaper quoted unnamed Turkish Foreign Ministry sources as saying.
The withdrawal process was going on as planned, and Washington did not raise any new request on the pullout, the sources said, denying a report saying an aerial bridge would be set up between southeastern Turkey and an air base in the country's south for moving troops and equipment out of Iraq which borders southeastern Turkey.
Some U.S. military equipment has already been transferred through Turkey since 2009 under an agreement that allows the U.S. forces to use the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey's southern Adana province as a "logistics hub", according to the report.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu is set to visit Washington on Monday for routine political consultations, which are expected to include issues concerning the U.S. withdrawal process from Iraq, the newspaper reported.
The U.S. forces have been working to formally end combat operations by the end of this month, cutting the U.S. military force from just under 90,000 to 50,000. A full withdrawal is expected at the end of 2011.
As the U.S. troops pull out of Iraq, violent attacks such as car bombings again spiked in Baghdad and elsewhere. Iraqi government figures showed July as the deadliest month for Iraqis in more than two years.
Meanwhile, Iraqi politics are at an impasse, with factions unable to form a government, months after the May 7 parliamentary polls, raising questions over political stability and security after U.S. troops' pullout.
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/7106827.html
