American Jews urge U.S. help for Turkey

WASHINGTON Ñ American Jewish leaders are urging the Bush administration and Congress to ensure that Turkey is rescued from its current fiscal crisis.

Jewish leaders have sent a letter to President George Bush that urges the administration to support Ankara and its request for up to $11 billion in international loans to stave off the threat of fiscal collapse. The letter cited Turkey's role in U.S. strategy in the Middle East and Europe.

Bush was cited for his pledge to support Ankara during the crisis, which began in February when the Turkish lira fell by nearly 40 percent. The letter asked the president to support Ankara during the spring term meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which begins on Thursday.

Turkish State Economic Minister Kemal Dervis is lobbying the West to support Turkey's request for the loans. Dervis is expected to arrive in Washington to meet IMF and World Bank leaders.

Turkey is Israel's leading ally in the Middle East and the Jewish state has encouraged supporters in the United States to help Ankara. Last year, several American Jewish leaders quietly urged Congress not to pass a bill that would accuse Ankara of genocide for the deaths of about 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1922.