Turkey To Vote On Troops Tuesday
Joseph S. Mayton - All Headline News Middle East Correspondent Beirut, Lebanon (AHN) - Returning from a summer recess early Tuesday, Turkish lawmakers are expected to vote to send Turkish soldiers to Lebanon. The debate is expected to be intense debate on whether to do so or not. Ankara is expected to okay a deployment of troops for one-year to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon. The vote comes as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to arrive later Tuesday for talks with leaders in Turkey as part of his tour of the region. Ankara believes Turkish involvement in the peacekeeping mission will strengthen their influence across the board in the Middle East. They also view the move as a way of bolstering their chances of joining the European Union. The majority of troops in Lebanon as part of the UN mission are from member states of the European Union. However, the opposition has said it will vote against the motion, saying the move would pit Turkish soldiers against fellow Muslims and drag the country into a "war of religions."
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