Bush Offers Trade Favors to Woo Turks : Foreign policy: In return, President Ozal promises to abide by sanctions against Iraq.

President Bush sought to solidify Turkey’s role in the international coalition opposing Iraq on Tuesday by offering visiting President Turgut Ozal the prospect of textile trade concessions and high-performance aircraft.

In response, Ozal vowed to support the trade embargo against Baghdad for as long as it takes to force Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait. But he refused to say whether Turkey would commit its own army to combat in the event of war between Iraq and the U.S.-led multinational force, or even if he would permit the use of Turkish bases by American forces.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon announced that Iraq has continued to reinforce its military presence in Kuwait, increasing its troop strength in the occupied emirate and the contiguous areas of Iraq by 70,000 in the past week to a total of 430,000.

Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams said Iraq has deployed 3,500 tanks, 2,500 armored personnel carriers and 1,700 artillery pieces in the Kuwaiti sector, up from 2,800 tanks, 1,800 personnel carriers and 1,450 artillery pieces a week ago.

“The posture of these forces in the region remains the same,” Williams said. “It is still essentially a defensive force, although it maintains its efficient mechanized and armored division force level to launch a multi-corps attack with little warning.”

It is virtually inconceivable that U.S. commanders would consider the use of force against such an array without using Turkish territory to force Baghdad into a two-front war. Turkey is strategically located on Iraq’s northern border, while Saudi Arabia straddles Iraq’s southern border. Nevertheless, Ozal said Bush did not even raise the question of the use of North Atlantic Treaty Organization bases in Turkey.

Asked if Turkey would commit its troops to a war against Iraq, Ozal said: “That is a very difficult question to answer. When the time comes, let’s see.”

However, Ozal renewed his support for economic sanctions against Iraq and endorsed Bush’s demand for the unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait and the restoration of the exiled emir to the throne.

With Ozal at his side in the White House garden, Bush praised Turkey for supporting the embargo despite the heavy economic cost of the sanctions to Ankara, which had been a major trading partner of Iraq before the crisis.

“We stand by those who stand up for civilized values around the world,” Bush said. In Turkey’s case, he explained, that means the United States is prepared to begin negotiations next month toward increasing Turkey’s share of the U.S. textile market. He also promised the sale of F-16 warplanes and other military equipment.

James F. Dobbins, principal deputy chief of the State Department’s European bureau, said the details of the textile agreement have not been worked out. But he said the United States is ready to increase Turkey’s share of U.S. imports.