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ANKARA: Turkey, US set to talk foreign policy

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  • ANKARA: Turkey, US set to talk foreign policy

    Hürriyet, Turkey
    Feb 28 2009


    Turkey, US set to talk foreign policy

    ANKARA - Longtime allies Turkey and the United States will review
    their bilateral relations when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
    visits Ankara next weekend, the Anatolia news agency reported Friday.

    Foreign Minister Ali Babacan invited Clinton to Turkey during a phone
    call on Tuesday, the agency said. Babacan and Clinton will come
    together at two different international meetings next week Ä? a
    donors' conference in Egypt for the reconstruction of Gaza and the
    NATO foreign ministers' summit in Brussels on Mar. 5 Ä? before
    their one-on-one talks in Ankara, which will probably be held
    Mar. 7. Clinton will also meet with President Abdullah Gül and
    Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an.

    Middle East on the agenda

    Though the U.S. has not yet officially asked Turkey to send more
    combat troops to Afghanistan, the issue will no doubt be on Clinton's
    agenda. The Turkish military has around 800 soldiers in the capital
    city of Kabul, as part of a NATO force, and is not very keen to send
    more. Babacan recently underlined Turkey's contribution to Afghanistan
    in the fields of health and education, implying that it had no
    intention to send more troops, at least for the time being.

    Iraq will be another top issue, especially regarding whether Turkey
    will let Washington use its territories and bases to pull out troops
    and equipment. Turkish diplomats have stated:" In the case of an
    official request, Turkey will not close its borders and bases to
    Washington, but all procedures should be negotiated and agreed on."

    The Middle East, especially the Israel-Palestine conflict, will also
    be on the agenda. After a meeting late Thursday, Turkey's National
    Security Council, or MGK, released a written statement saying: "Turkey
    will continue to contribute to the efforts to find lasting settlement
    and stability in the Middle East."

    As for Turkey's priorities, Babacan and other Turkish officials are
    expected to press Clinton over the possibility of recognition of the
    Armenian claims of genocide by the Congress. Turkish authorities have
    made their message to Washington, saying: "Such moves would not only
    hurt bilateral ties, but also the process of rapprochement between
    Turkey and Armenia."
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