Turkish leader calls on all countries to cut weapons of mass de

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Turkey's top politician said Friday that all countries including the United States -- not just Iraq -- should eliminate weapons of mass destruction.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said his country would not decide whether to support U.S. military action until the U.N. Security Council weighs in. Turkey was a key U.S. ally in the 1991 Gulf War and was expected to play a similarly important role in any new war against Saddam Hussein.

The new NATO military commander, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, met with Turkey's top general Friday to discuss Turkish cooperation, which would be essential in opening a northern front from which U.S. forces could invade Iraq. NATO has promised military support to member-nation Turkey if it is attacked by Iraq.

Erdogan spoke in Davos, Switzerland, amid a rift between the United States and Europe over Iraq. In Istanbul, the visiting German foreign minister, whose country has been one of the most outspoken opponents of military action, said the trans-Atlantic allies should "cool down" the sharpening debate.

Turkey is under heavy U.S. pressure to allow use of its bases to attack Iraq, but public opposition to war is strong in the country.

Erdogan, who heads the ruling party and is considered the behind-the-scenes leader of the government, said eliminating nuclear, biological and chemical weapons in Iraq was a worthy goal.

"But let's not kid ourselves," he told reporters through a translator at the World Economic Forum. "No one is interested in eliminating their own weapons of mass destruction. They're interested in strengthening their own weapons of mass destruction."

Asked if he was accusing the United States of hypocrisy, Erdogan said: "I meant all the countries in the world. The United States is also included."

However, Murat Mercan, deputy chairman of Erdogan's party, denied later that Erdogan was specifically accusing the United States of hypocrisy. He said Erdogan told him he was talking about all countries, and did not single out the United States.

He also said that Erdogan meant to say countries are not interested in reducing their expenditures on weapons of mass destruction.

Erdogan spoke at the panel in Turkish, and his remarks were simultaneously translated into English.

Erdogan also said his government would wait for a U.N. decision before deciding whether to support military action. "The decision which is important for us is the decision of the U.N. Security Council," said Erdogan, who is expected to become prime minister after he runs in parliamentary by-elections in March.

Turkey has long said it would prefer to have U.N. approval for any attack on Iraq, but its top ally, the United States, wants it to allow tens of thousands of American troops to use its bases to open a northern front against Iraq. Washington said it does not need U.N. approval to launch a war.

Turkey has been reluctant to give permission and has reportedly asked Washington to scale down its planned deployment.

Erdogan noted the "major price" Turkey paid after the 1991 Gulf War -- a flood of Kurdish refugees, lost lives and economic disruption. "We do not want to pay the same prices one more time," he said.

British military chief Adm. Sir Michael Boyce visited Turkey's Incirlik air base -- the hub of British and U.S. warplanes enforcing the northern no-fly zone over Iraq. Incirlik is expected to be a key attack base if the United States strikes Iraq again.

Hoping to avert a war, Turkey hosted a gathering this week of foreign minister from Iraq's neighbors and Egypt, who on Thursday urged Saddam to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors.

Many observers expect Turkey will eventually bow to U.S. pressure and allow use of the bases. But the government is eager to show the Turkish public it has made an effort to prevent conflict.

Turkish Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said Friday that allowing U.S. troops to use Turkish soil to launch an attack on Iraq puts military pressure on Saddam to comply with U.N. inspectors.

"The more there is military pressure on Iraq, the more it is likely to reach a peaceful solution," Yakis said.