February 24, 2009 - 20:45 AMT
Turkish MFA: U.S. didn't request Ankara for support in Afghanistan
The U.S. administration has not requested the Turkish government to use any military bases in Turkey or deploy more Turkish troops in Afghanistan, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

"We have not received any demands for transfer of U.S. military units to Afghanistan or troops withdrawing from Iraq," Burak Ozugergin told a press briefing.

"United States has no military bases in Turkey," he added.

He said Incirlik military base, which is located in southern Turkey, was "being used by U.S. army due to alliance relations and several military agreements."

"However, it does not change the fact that Incirlik is a Turkish base," he underscored, Anatolian Agency reports.

Last week, U.S. President Barack Obama approved adding some 17,000 troops for the flagging war in Afghanistan, his first significant move to change the course of a war that his closest military advisers have warned the United States is not winning.

"This increase is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires," Obama said in a statement.