MosJan Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 US Package To Turkey May Include Blackhawks WASHINGTON, DC (Reuters)—The Bush administration is considering the sale of attack helicopters to Turkey as part of a broader aid package aimed at shoring up support from key allies ahead of a possible US strike on Iraq, people involved in the deliberations said on Wednesday. The proposed military and economic aid package, which sources said was likely to total nearly $1 billion and include $700 million to $800 million for Turkey, could be sent to Congress for approval in the coming weeks. Other US allies in the region could also benefit. The White House declined to comment. The proposed helicopter sale stalled earlier this year when the chairman of a key Senate committee balked at extending Gulf War-era legislation allowing the US Export-Import Bank to help finance sales of Black Hawks and Seahawks to rivals Turkey and Greece. Turkey has bought more than 100 of the helicopters made by Sikorsky, a unit of United Technologies Corp., under the more than 10-year-old Export-Import Bank program, which expires later this year. The sources said Ankara wanted to extend the loan facility for at least another year so it could purchase eight more S-70B Seahawks and six more UH-60 Black Hawks. But Sen. Paul Sarbanes, a prominent Greek-American and a Democratic leader on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, raised objections, sending the Turkish government and the Bush administration scrambling to find another way to provide the helicopters. Sarbanes, who also serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, asserted that the Export-Import Bank should not use taxpayer money to finance military sales. "I don't think that's the purpose of the bank," an aide said. Sarbanes has allied himself with Greek and Armenian groups, longtime critics of Turkey, in opposing similar military sales to Turkey during the Clinton administration. Despite opposition from key lawmakers, the sources said the administration still wanted to include the helicopters in the broader aid package under consideration for Turkey and other key allies. "Turkey would like these 14 helicopters, and the Pentagon is trying to find other ways to get the helicopters for them," one source said. The United States is counting on Turkey's help if it takes military action to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, whom Washington accuses of seeking weapons of mass destruction. Turkey already allows US and British warplanes to use one of its air bases to patrol a no-fly zone over northern Iraq. But the NATO member fears war on its borders could further damage the crisis-hit economy and fuel unrest among its own restive Kurdish population in the southeast, particularly if the Iraqi Kurds seek an independent state over the border. [ November 07, 2002, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: MosJan ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accelerated Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 quote:Armenia has begun issuing visas onlineThis is great news! Thanks Mos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted November 7, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 man i'm tayerd / i need a day offffff / soon / now / Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accelerated Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 quote:man i'm tayerd / i need a day offffff / soon / now /aper, qo tegh@ linei, hents hima teghits@s k@ helnei, k@ gnai aeroport u samaljot k n@steyi prjamoi Sydney (LOSi hayerits heroo....LOL), yes me hat 'case of beer' (24 bootilka piva) arnum u kez handipumem, heto aper prjamoi gnoomenk beach khmeloo, yete h@l@ vokti vra karas ughigh kagnes irigoon@ etumenk kaghak, clubbingi u p*****ri. Aper, inch kases? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted November 8, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2002 Lav asetsir bayst yes et samalyotits Z@ezvm g@ Avstralya lav Vorsi ter ka asum en / garapar@ vat chi / karreli a mtatsel lsu mi harts / etter im varemi barekmnern en parum Movsiyan /Chldryan Saqo / Anahit / Amusnu anun@ Movses 2 tary araj mahatsav / Janachum es? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accelerated Posted November 8, 2002 Report Share Posted November 8, 2002 quote:bayst yes et samalyotits Z@ezvm g@Lav eli! Eti patchar mi sarki, z@zves k@, stuardesanerin khosatsru minchev tegh hasnes. Het gnalootsel, khmatz k@ lines el z@zel m@zvel chka. Menak te "S leghkim parom"i variant@ ch@ dusga, sagh lav klini. quote:etter im varemi barekmnern en parum Movsiyan /Chldryan Saqo / Anahit / Amusnu anun@ Movses 2 tary araj mahatsav / Janachum es?Aper, yes stegh arandsnapes hayeri het chem shpvoom (aysenk@n hayastanits hye motavorapes im tariki erevi tzerqi vra k@ hashves). Bayts yete Hayastantsi en mer@s kimana. Hayastanitsen? ---------------------------------------- Mi hat el karj anecdot patmem. Uremn me (goghakan) hye mi martoon hartsnooma" "Ape, Hayes?!" Djogumes che, sigaret@ dzer@ (ooratz), full goghakan. Himi, es mjus mart@ pataskhanuma "Ha" Es (goghakan) mjoosnel asooma: "Kaifa! Che?!" LOL, hima menkenk..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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