Turkey, which agreed on April 2 to let the U.S. transport supplies through its territory to coalition forces in Iraq, used its large team of American lobbyists to get its message of long-term friendship and strategic importance across to members of Congress.

The lobbyists were sent into action after some members of Congress, who were upset over Turkey's refusal to let U.S. troops go through its country to get to the war with Iraq, had been making noises about cutting $1 billion in aid to Turkey that is included in the Bush administration's war supplemental funding request.

Naci Saribas, who is deputy chief of mission for Turkey, told The Washington Post that the team of consultants, coordinated by the Livingston Group, was helpful in getting Turkish officials into meetings with U.S. lawmakers, keeping track of what the country's opponents might be doing legislatively and helping Turkey navigate the American political scene.

The Livingston Group, which is paid $1.8 million a year by Turkey, is headed by former House appropriations chairman Bob Livingston (R-La.). He has represented Turkey for three years, and the government renewed his contract last month for another year.

Other firms working on Turkey's behalf included Solarz Assocs.; APCO Worldwide; Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, and The Harbour Group.

In an interview last week with the Turkish newspaper Zaman, Livingston said, "We've spoken to a lot of members of Congress. In fact, just today (March 27), I took the ambassador to see two members of Congress. One was very negative, and one was very positive."

Joel Johnson, formerly President Clinton's senior advisor for policy and communications, who works for the Harbour Group, said his firm has been working on behalf of Turkey since December, getting its message to opinion leaders, editorial boards and think tanks.