31 March 2003
Powell to Discuss Post-War Issues with Turkey, EU, NATO
(State Department Report, March 31: Powell Trip, Iraq) (440) By Jane Morse Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- Secretary of State Colin Powell will travel to Ankara and Brussels this week to discuss post-war issues with Turkish officials and members of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said. During the March 31 daily State Department press briefing, Boucher said that although the liberation of Iraq is not yet complete, "it's a moment where we should be looking forward, looking not only at the current situation but also the post-war situation." "It's a chance at a critical moment -- obviously, for both us and Turkey -- to talk about what's going on in Iraq, talk about the effect on Turkey, talk about many of the things we're doing together with Turkey in the war on terrorism," he said. High on Powell's agenda will be discussion of "post-war scenarios," including a representational government and territorial integrity for Iraq, the spokesman said. The Secretary also will discuss proposals for monetary compensation to Turkey for the economic impact of the Iraqi hostilities, Boucher said. Powell is also planning to discuss the situation in northern Iraq and how the United States and Turkey can cooperate to deal with refugees, he said. Boucher noted Turkish statements that there will not be Turkish military incursions into northern Iraq. According to Boucher, "the United States believes that through our own efforts and through our cooperation with Turkey and with the groups in northern Iraq, we can avoid the kind of instability, the kind of refugee flow, the kind of terrorism ... dangers that Turkey is legitimately concerned about." During his April 1-3 trip, Powell intends to discuss peacekeeping roles in post-Saddam Iraq in Brussels with EU and NATO officials. Discussions there also will focus on the war in Iraq and on "a broad range of post-conflict issues." When asked about U.S. public diplomacy efforts in the Middle East, Boucher said American officials have been more active than ever before in making themselves available to Arabic language media. He noted that Arabic language journalists have been welcomed in Doha, where the U.S. Central Command has been giving daily briefings on Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some Arabic language journalists are embedded with U.S. forces fighting in Iraq; all have access to film footage of humanitarian efforts, he said. The U.S. goal, Boucher said, is that "people can understand the true nature of what the United States is doing in Iraq and the fact that our goal is to help the Iraqi people." (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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