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Turkey Criticized for Extending Mandate of U.S., British Patrols of Northern Iraq
Iraq on Tuesday criticized Turkey for deciding to allow U.S. and British warplanes to use its Incirlik air base for another half year as of June 30 to enforce a no-fly zone in northern Iraq.
The Turkish decision ran counter to its claims to maintain the integrity and unity of Iraqi territories and not to interfere in its internal affairs, an Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman told the official Iraqi News Agency.
He noted that the decision would elongate the "awkward" situation in northern Iraq.
It also came as Iraq was working for developing ties with Turkey, the spokesman said, criticizing the Turkish parliament for approving this measure on Monday.
He held the Turkish government, which proposed the extension, responsible for the damages resulting from the hostilities carried out by U.S. and British aircraft flying from Turkey and urged Ankara to stop playing host for the planes.
U.S. and British warplanes take off from Turkey's Inclirlik air base to patrol the no-fly zone over northern Iraq, which the two allies imposed in 1991 to allegedly protect the Kurds from possible attacks by Iraqi troops.
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