Turkey edges closer to deal with US

Washington and Ankara were edging towards a deal last night that could eventually allow American troops to be deployed in south-eastern Turkey, where they will prepare a northern front against Saddam Hussein's regime.

But the success of any agreement, likely to include a compensation package of more than $26bn (£16.5bn), may yet depend on a free vote in Turkey's parliament, where large numbers of both opposition and government deputies are vocally anti-war.

Talks have dragged on between the traditionally close Nato allies for three months and this week degenerated into public haggling about money.

Turkey's foreign minister, Yasar Yakis, said yesterday that progress had been made despite there being outstanding issues on military, economic and political matters. "There is very broad agreement. The remaining issues are not that many. If both sides show determination over the weekend, these issues can be resolved."

The parliament is due to reconvene on Tuesday and it will have to authorise American use of airbases such as Batman, Diyarbakir and Incerlik if they are to be involved in an assault on Iraq.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leader of the governing Justice and Development party (AKP), will not instruct his deputies on how to vote, party sources suggested yesterday. Mr Erdogan said that if the issue were sent to parliament, he hoped his "friends would act toward the authorisation".

The AKP has 363 members in the 550-seat assembly. Most of the remaining deputies belong to the Republican People's party which has said it will vote against any deal.

The prime minister, Abdullah Gul was upbeat about the prospects of an agreement. "It is certain that we understand [America's] concerns and they understand ours in the best possible way and a result will be reached in the coming days," he told businessmen in Istanbul.