In a briefing on March 28, Erdogan provided details of Turkey's
contribution to the Libyan mission. The prime minister, just a week ago the
strongest opponent of military intervention, said Turkey, with the second
largest army in NATO, would take control of an airport in Benghazi to
organize what he termed humanitarian assistance.
"We have never been and will never be a country that will fire on and
bomb the opposing sides in Libya," Erdogan said.
Officials said Turkey has already sent a six-vessel flotilla, including
a submarine, to enforce a naval blockade of Libya. They said NATO would also
use the Turkish military base in Izmir to help command the Libyan mission.
"Turkey said yes to three tasks within NATO," Erdogan said, "the
takeover of Benghazi airport for the delivery of humanitarian aid, the task
about control of the air corridor and the involvement of Turkish naval
forces in the corridor between Benghazi and Crete."