Turkey backs U.S. missile defense program

ANKARA — Turkey supports the Bush administration's plans to establish a national missile defense, but Ankara's focus is on whether the system works.

Turkish officials said government leaders questioned a U.S. delegation on Friday over the concept of the missile defense system. Ankara is seeking a system to help protect Turkey against the ballistic missiles being developed by such neighbors as Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit discussed the issue with U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman. Turkey has been one of the most supportive Western countries of the doctrine of missile defense.

For their part, U.S. officials did not rule out Turkish participation in any American missile defense program. But they suggested that such a venture is a long way off.

"We hope there will be as wide participation as possible," Grossman said. "But every country will decide on his own. We are far from asking any allies to do anything specific. These are all things yet to come."

In another development, Turkey has launched its Sea Lion 2001 search and rescue exercise in the Aegean Sea. Israel, Jordan, Tunisia and the United States are among the countries attending the exercise.